Memories: The Return
by angellwings
Summary: Her brother was the Asquad Yellow Ranger. He’d gone missing almost four and half months ago, and her father had been missing for almost two and a half years...How heartbreaking would that be? To come home and discover that everyone you loved was gone.
1. The Return

**The Return**

**By: Angellwings**

B-squad cadets Carson, Tate, Drew, Delgado, and Landors were being briefed on a new criminal when Crugar first received the news.

Kat Manx who before this had been inexplicably unavailable stormed through the Command Center doors with her assistant Boom not far behind.

"Commander! You might want to take a look at this!" Kat called to him urgently from the doors. He quickly followed her out of the room.

A few seconds later they saw Commander Crugar fly past the doors and run down the hallway.

The cadets glanced at each other and then hurriedly chased after their leader.

"When was the message received?" He demanded of Doctor Kat Manx

"Just moments ago, sir" She responded promptly. "She should be landing, any time now."

"Assemble all squadrons and instructors for her welcome. Do we now how she escaped?" Crouger inquired.

"No sir, I didn't think to ask. She looked so weak."

"Understandable, Ms. Manx. You're dismissed."

"Thank you sir."

Crugar stopped to face his rangers.

"Cadets, I expect you to treat this welcome as one of a high ranking academy official, understood?"

"Yes sir!" They responded mechanically though they did not understand what he was talking about.

As they entered the landing bay and took their stances to welcome their unexpected guest, an orange and grey regulation S.P.D. jet pulled slowly into the bay.

The room was silent as they watched the figure step out of the jet. Once she was in view a collective gasp of recognition escaped the mouths of the instructors that had been assembled in the room.

Sky and Bridge's eyes widened as they too recognized the figure currently walking toward the Commander.

She made her way to the Commander and his five rangers slightly limping as she did so. Two instructors reached out to steady her but she waved them off. Instead she stood confidently and proudly in front of The Commander and Ms. Manx.

"Cadet DeSantos returning from duty, Sir!" She announced with an S.P.D. salute. She winced in pain once she was finished, and almost fell over but the Commander quickly caught her.

"Welcome home, Cadet." He responded softly.

"Cadet Carson, Cadet Tate! Escort her to the infirmary immediately." Crugar instructed the blue and green rangers.

_

* * *

_

_Cadet DeSantos,_ Sky's mind screamed in recognition as he stole sideways glances at the petite red head that he and Bridge were currently supporting as they trudged down the hall.

Their backgrounds were kind of similar, but where his father had been the first S.P.D. Red Ranger, her father had been S.P.D.'s first Commander. She'd been trained _all her life_ for a position at S.P.D. She'd jumped straight to B-squad after getting a nearly perfect score on the S.P.D. entrance exam, She'd been the first female to lead a Ranger squad at S.P.D, and apparently she had survived five and half years in Gruumm's prison.

He observed her torn SPD Uniform. She wore a B-squad badge, but her uniform looked drastically different then his own. It was black with a neon orange stripe acrossthe chest, and two more stripes on either side ofher trousers. Like Syd and Z she had a skirt around the upper part of her pants. He tried to picture the uniform with out rips and holes in his head, and began to wonder why her's looked different then the other B-squad cadets. It wasn't because she was the leader because if that had been the case Jack's uniform would be similar to hers.

Her wince brought him out of his thoughts, and he shifted his arm to keep her weight off of her right ankle. He glanced over her current state and tried to assess her wounds.

Her right ankle was definitely broken, her cheeks and eyes were slightly sunken in, the imprint of her ribs could be seen against her skin, and from the way she kept sucking in sharp breaths it seemed she had broken a couple of ribs as well.

He noticed something even more disturbing as he and Bridge set her on one of the infirmary's beds. Her sleeve around her upper arm had been ripped, and he could make out raised scars that had obviously been placed in specific patterns. _Torture,_ had been his first thought. It was Gruumm's signature means of prying information from his prisoners.

Yes, Tammi DeSantos had physically survived, but how much of her had emotionally survived? He doubted she was anywhere close to the person she used to be.

Kat quickly shooed himself and Bridge from the room, and called the Commander to the infirmary.

He and Bridge quietly began their trek to the Common Room.

"Umm, Sky," Bridge asked in sad tone.

"Yeah, Bridge?"

"Do you think she knows about her brother, and her dad?" He asked solemnly.

Sky hadn't even thought about that. Her brother, Brandon, was the A-squad Yellow Ranger. He'd gone missing almost four and half months ago, and her father had been missing for almost two and a half years. Both were classified as MIA. How heartbreaking would that be? To come home and discover that everyone you loved was gone.

"I don't know, but I doubt it." Sky responded darkly.

* * *

**A/N: don't know how often this will be updated, recent events in the series have caused several revisions of how I thought the story would go. Brandon her brother was originally suposed to be the A-squad Red Ranger but then "Resurection" aired, and I had to change it. So, this story will sort of be dependant on what they do with the rest of the series. Anyway I hope you like it. I may sort of connect this story to my other story "Memories" not quite sure yet, but if you notice similarities between Tammi and Maurhee you now know why.**

**PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!**

**disclaimer: am in no way affiliated with Power Rangers, and I am making no profit from this! (I wish)!**


	2. Adjusting

The Return

Chapter 2- Adjusting

She sighed as she stared at S.P.D.'s "Wall of Heroes". It was a memorial to those officers who had been killed or gone missing while on duty. Pictures of each member of her old squad were up, along with pictures of her brother's squad. Her father's picture was pasted in the middle of the collage. Everyone was gone. She now resided in her father's old quarters on the far end of the base, and she lived there alone.

"I'll find you guys, I promise. Gruumm won't win." She said through gritted teeth.

"Your brother used to do that." A female voice said from behind her.

"Do what?" Tammi asked as she turned to face the source of the voice, Dr. Kat Manx.

"Talk to you and your father's pictures. I think he felt the two of you could actually hear him."

"That sounds like Brandon." Tammi said with a sad grin. "After all he was a telepath."

"Is, Tammi, he is a telepath. He's just missing not dead." Kat said in an attempt to comfort her.

"If he is going through what I went through he might as well be dead. It's too much work to try and survive that place." The B-squad cadet stated just before her morpher chimed. "Tammi here, what do you need?"

"We're in The Park, care to back us up?" Jack replied in a criticizing tone.

"Keep your uniform on Landors, I'll be there as soon as I can." She said sharply.

* * *

When she arrived at the scene her team mates were in pursuit of a Park vandal and car thief. Jack was currently locked in hand to hand combat with a figure in ratty jeans and a black hooded sweatshirt.

"All right, that's it! You're goin' down!" Jack yelled as he pulled out his morpher. "S.P.D. EMERG-"

"Landors! What the hell do you think you're doing?" She yelled as she approached him. "It's against regulations to morph when fighting a civilian criminal."

"Guys" Bridge said as he lightly tapped Jack on the shoulder.

"Since When?" Jack asked as he ignored Bridge.

"No Cadet may escalate a fight with morphers or weapons unless the opponent does so first." Sky chanted mechanically.

"Uh . . . guys" Bridge repeated, but was once again ignored.

"Does it look like I had a choice? I was getting pounded out there. How else I am supposed to bring this guy in?" Jack asked frustratedly

"Maybe you should let your team mates help you!" She yelled as she inched intimidatingly toward his face.

"Let them help? Or let you lead?" He asked as he also inched foreward.

"I imagine either one would get the job done faster." She stated coolly as she narrowed her eyes.

"GUYS!" Bridge finally yelled as loud as he could.

"WHAT!" The two shouted at bridge in unison.

"He's getting away."

They both turned to see Z, Sky, and Syd running after the perp.

"Shit, this is all your fault, DeSantos." Jack said as he broke into a run.

"Yeah, all my fault. You had no part in the argument what so ever!" She yelled after him sarcastically. "Come on Bridge, Let's go."

The two quickly followed the red ranger.

"Ranger squadron leader my ass" Tammi mumbled to herself as she ran foreward.

After a fifteen minute chase they caught up with their criminal, and a hand to hand battle insued. The criminals fighting style was very familiar to Tammi, and it wasn't long before it was her turn to fight the villain.

Whoever this was matched her move for move, and their fight gave her a very familiar feeling. The stranger moved to kick her in the stomach, but Tammi quickly grabbed her foot and flipped him on to his back. She quickly pinned his hands to the pavement. That was when the vandal's hood fell off. Tammi was filled with the shock when the criminal turned out not to be a he, but a she instead. A she that Tammi knew all too well.

"chelle?" Tammi asked with wide eyes.

"Tammi! I didn't recognize you . . . I thought you were . . . I mean you're supposed to be . ."

"dead? Yeah I know, but lucky for you it didn't work out that way." She said as she let the girl up. "Now, why in the world were you stealing cars?"

"I wasn't, wrong place wrong time, you know me." She said as she shrugged her shoulder's and ran a hand through her long raven black hair.

"Yeah, Michelle, that's the problem." Tammi said as she grabbed the underneath of the girls arm and dragged her along. "How about we go see your father about this, huh? I'm sure he'd love to hear this story."

"No! Tammi, please, no! put me in one of those flat little card thingies, anything! Just don't tell my dad! You know how he gets! He'll ship me off to S.P.D. or something!" Michelle whined.

"Hey, you can't do that we have to take her in!" Jack yelled as he followed her.

"Trust me Landors, this will be much worse." Tammi said as she sped up her pace and pulled Michelle harder.

"Please, parents never punish their kids fairly." Jack stated in a disgruntled tone.

"If you think that, then you've never met Tom Oliver." Tammi said with a grin.

_**

* * *

**__**Author's Note: I am in no way shape or form incloved with Power Rangers. I only claim rights to Tammi, Brandon, and Michelle.**_

_**And now that we know the outcome of SPD I will try to update more frequently.**_

Thanks for the reviews everyone!


	3. Friend of the Family

The Return

Chapter Three-Friend of the Family

By: Angellwings

"Tammi, I am begging you not to do this," Michelle said for the millionth time, "Please the life of a seventeen year old girl depends on it."

"If it was as innocent as you make it sound then why did run from us?" Tammi asked as she rang the doorbell of the Oliver's house. She'd had to contact the Commander and get special permission to take Michelle back home to Reefside, which was 45 minute away from New Tech City.

"Because no one would have believed me, especially not the egomaniac in the blue or that power mad freak in the red. The cutie in the green would have believed me though, I could feel it." Michelle said as she tossed a wink in Bridge's direction.

"Then why didn't you explain it to him then? With that gift of yours you have no excuse." Tammi said as she tapped her foot impatiently.

"Excuse me what . . . what gift?" Bridge asked curiously.

"Empathy, Michelle has the gift of empathy. Sort of like you except she can't read auras just yet." Tammi explained

"Yes I can" She said defiantly

"You can?" Tammi asked as she raised an eyebrow in Michelle's direction

"Well, I kinda can. I mean it's not perfectly clear, but I can see like big smears of color."

"This is all good and well, but can we get on with it please?" Sky asked impatiently.

"What do you have to get back and reread the handbook one last time before you go to bed?" Z asked sarcastically.

"Hey, don't be like that, Sky might actually have a life outside of S.P.D.," Syd said with a straight face before she burst our laughing.

"Yeah, right." Z said as she too starting laughing. Suddenly the door swung open to reveal a very handsome guy with dark red hair.

"Michael!" Tammi squealed as she jumped up and hugged him.

"Tammi! But you're supposed to be . .."

"I know, I know, but I'm not. I'm still here."

Michael spun her around a few times before planting her feet back on the front stoop. "I can't believe it; I never thought I'd see you again! Mom and Dad are gonna flip!"

"Speaking of . . ." Tammi said as she cleared her throat "We've been sent by S.P.D. to speak with Tom Oliver in reference to his daughter's actions."

"Still got the gig at S.P.D., I see, Is this your new squad? Crugar give you your leader position back?" Michael asked as he ushered the rangers inside.

"No," Michelle said with a grin, "She's on the receiving end of the orders this time. You should have heard her and Power Mad over there arguing in the jeep. I Think it's the worst head ache I've ever had. Well except for when everyone thought she was dead that is."

"You know what really scares me about this situation? You're enjoying my suffering." Tammi said with a shocked stare.

"Hey, don't start with me; you're the one about to get me shipped off to the academy." Michelle said as she plopped down on the couch with a huff.

"Good, it will straighten you out." Tammi said pulled Michelle back up on her feet.

"What? And make me boring and uptight like you? I don't think so." Michelle said shaking her head. Michael laughed and went to go fetch his father.

"I am not uptight." Tammi said defensively.

"Whatever, you won't even get a Scar Mark to match the rest of us ranger kids."

Until now the rest of her team as a whole had been silently observing her exchanges with the Oliver children. They had never seen her relax and pick like this before, especially not with them. Well, on occasion she would joke around with Bridge, but no one could help but pick with him. The minute that Scar Mark was mentioned they saw her tense up. Sky had never forgotten the marks he had seen on the day she arrived, and he noticed as well that she kept her upper arms and back covered at all times.

"I'm not a big fan of paying someone to mutilate my skin." She said as she swallowed hoarsely. Jack gave Z a questioning glance and leaned to her ear.

"Are those tears that I see in her eyes?" Jack whispered.

"Looks like it to me." Z responded.

"Tammi!" They heard someone shout. "I can't believe it! Why look at you, you're all grown up. I remember your first Karate Lesson at Jason's Dojo, you were a natural." Mr. Oliver said as he hugged her.

"Thanks, Dr. O, but I'm afraid I'm here on business. You're daughter was apprehended in the park today (after resisting arrest) for attempting to break into a car."

"Attempting to what?" Dr. Oliver stated in a signature parental tone, "This doesn't have to do with that new invention of yours does it?"

"Oh come on dad! I had to test it out! Mom says, 'no invention can truly be useful until it's tested'. So, I had to. I swear I wasn't breaking into a stranger's car. It was Uncle Zack's car. He let me install one last week, and told me I could try it out." She frantically explained.

"What invention is this exactly?" Tammi asked as she looked back and forth between Tom, Michael, and Michelle.

"It's a car alarm. I told mom, you can call her at Lightspeed and ask if you want."

Since the formation of S.P.D. Operation Lightspeed Rescue had been turned into the planet's underwater defense program. It was now led by Captain Ryan Mitchell and Admiral Chad Lee, and Mrs. Haley Oliver was their technology expert and advisor along with Mrs. Angela Rawlings. It was safe to say that Michelle had picked up her technology skills from her mother and her fighting style from her father.

"Oh man, little sister you've done it now." Michael said as he shook his head.

"Shut up Mike! What do you know!" Michelle said as she stuck her tongue out at him.

"Michelle Tanya Oliver, I think it's about time we found something useful for you to do with those talents of yours." Tom Oliver said sternly.

"But Daddy! I am doing something useful!" she protested.

"Something useful that is with in the law." He replied.

"But I had permission!"

"And did anyone believe you had permission? Do you think these officers would have let you go because you _said_ you had _permission_?" He asked as he began to get annoyed.

"No, Sir." She said dejectedly.

"I warned you about this last time, and now you are joining S.P.D., that's final." He stated as she began to protest, "No 'and', 'if's, or 'but's about it."

"You can't do this! Mom won't let you!" Michelle screamed as she ran up the stairs to her bedroom.

Michael shook his head; his little sister was never going to learn.

"Still the passionate little brat I used to baby sit, I see." Tammi whispered to Michael. He laughed and nodded vigorously.

"Sorry about that, Michelle's always been a little headstrong. I think she gets it from her mother." Tommy told them.

"Yeah right, Dr. O" Tammi said with a laugh.

"What? You think she gets it from me?" He asked in a shocked tone.

"I think she gets it from both of you. In the stories my father used to tell me you seemed quite headstrong." She said with a grin.

"Well, maybe you need to hear those stories from my point of view." He said with a laugh and a wink. "Please won't you all have a seat? It's been a long time since my rangering days, and I wouldn't mind hearing some of your stories."

The six of them sat down in various places. Jack sat in the large, leather arm chair by the fireplace while Syd, Tammi, Bridge, and Sky sat on the couch. Z settled herself on the floor in front of the fireplace.

"Michael, why don't you get the rangers some coffee. I'm sure they are in need of some kind of refreshment." Tommy said with a smile.

"Whoa, Dad you're scaring me." Michael said as he got up.

"Why's that?" Tommy asked with a furrowed brow.

"You just had a major Uncle Billy moment; I mean come on, 'refreshment'?"

"Just go get the coffee, smart ass" Tommy said as he shook his head.

"Yes sir, father sir." Michael said with a salute. Tammi chuckled at them. She had really missed this. They were practically her family, and she felt a warmth in this room that she thought she had lost forever.

"That punk that you've been seeing all night is my oldest son Michael. He teaches history at the local high school." Dr. Oliver said with a small smile. "And you all already know Michelle. My youngest, James, Is a sophomore in high school."

"No way! James is a sophomore! I can not believe it! The last time I saw him he was just beginning to realize Cooties don't exist." Tammi exclaimed.

"Yes well, here's another shocker for you. Do you remember Jason and Kim's youngest? Vanessa?"

"Yes, what about her?" She asked curiously.

"Well, she and James are a couple now."

"Nuh uh! They couldn't stand each other when they were little. He was always putting gum in her hair, and she was always pelting him with water balloons. They're a couple?" She asked with wide eyes, but suddenly sadness flashed across her features, "I've missed a lot haven't I?"

"Not really, other than the littlest of you kids growing up nothings changed. You know Michael still has feelings for you." Tommy said with a wink.

"Dr. O . . ."

"I know, I know, just informing you the offer is still on the table." Tommy said with a grin. "Well, better introduce me to your team mates don't you think?"

"Oh yeah, sorry Dr. O. The guy in the red is Jack, sitting beside me in pink is Sydney, the guy to my right is Bridge, the disgruntled one in the blue is Sky, and the only one of us sitting on the floor is Z." She said as they each waved.

"So, you were a power ranger?" Jack asked in awe.

"Dr. O is the best known leader out of all the rangers; he's lead more teams than any of them too." Tammi said with a proud smile.

"Well, I wouldn't saybest known. You're father made quite a name for himself too, you know." Tommy told her with a smile.

"So you were a red ranger, then?" Sky asked.

"I was quite a few colors actually." Tommy said.

"Yeah, Dad used to joke that you were trying to get the entire rainbow under your belt." Tammi told him jestingly.

"Yeah I get that a lot, but I started out as green, then white, then red, and then black."

"So which color was your favorite?" Syd asked with an intrigued gaze.

"Hmm, I think it would have to be green."

At that moment Bridge's head snapped up, and a huge smile spread across his face. "Why is that sir? If you don't mind me asking."

"I guess it's because I was second in command and didn't have the responsibility of the team on my shoulders. I had it slightly easier than Jason."

Michael walked back in the room with a tray of coffee cups and set the on the coffee table, but just as the rangers were reaching for them their morphers chimed. Jack answered.

"Jack here, what's going on?"

"Landors! Where are all of you! I sent you to drop off the girl and address Dr. Oliver, that's all. You were to go straight there and back! So why haven't you returned!", as Crugar continued on with his lecture Tommy made a motion for Jack to hand him his morpher.

"Crugar! This is Tom Oliver; it's nice to talk to you again. Listen, sorry for keeping your rangers, but they were answering some very important questions for me. I hope you won't be too hard on them on account of me." Tommy exaggerated. Tammi exchanged aknowing smile with Michael as Tommy calmed Crugar down and handed the morpher back to Jack.

"I guess that's our cue to leave." Jack said as he stood up from his comfy chair. The other rangers followed in suit. Tammi was the last one to stand from her spot.

"Don't be a stranger, okay?" Tommy said as he gave her hug.

"I won't, I promise." She told him with a smile and a wave.

"Tammi . . . umm I was thinking," Michael said as he walked her to the door, "Would it be okay if I paid you a visit at S.P.D.? Maybe we could hang out one weekend or something?"

"Sure, that'd be fun. Just call me before you come so I can alert security, do you have a pen?" She asked him, and he nodded as he pulled a pen out from behind his ear. She grabbed the pen and began writing on his palm, "That's my apartment number at the base, and that's the number for the front office just in case I'm not in my room. See you later, Mike."

She gave him a quick hug, and loaded into the jeep with Syd and Z.

"Bye Tammi." He said with a wave as they drove off.

**_

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_**

**_A/N: I know not a whole lot happened in this chapter, but it was fun to write. And hey! Something's better than nothing right? Thanks go out to my two faithful reviewers!_**

**_P.S. - Ages of characters:_**

_**Tammi: 21**_

_**Sky: 21**_

_**Jack: 20**_

_**Syd: 19**_

_**Z: 18**_

_**Bridge: 18**_

_**Michael: 23**_

_**Michelle: 17**_

_**Tommy: 48**_

_**P.S.S.- I am in no way involved in P.R., blah, blah, blah, yadda, yadda, yadda, . . . we all know how it goes.**_


	4. Life Minus The Social

**A/N: I am trying to update as quickly as I can, but my schedule is working against me. I keep getting assigned project after project. No time for fun. Thanks goes out to Huntress, Blue Eyed Dragon girl, and Garnet Red. Keep up the reviewing I appreciate the feedback.**

**ps: I made a change, I had to change the name of Jason and Kim's daughter from Lizzie to Charlie.**

The Return

Chapter 4- Life Minus The Social

By: Angellwings

It was Saturday, and normally Saturday was dedicated to early morning patrol, but today Crugar had given them the day off.

Now, a day off for Tammi was different than a day off for the rest of B-squad. She didn't go shopping like she'd heard Syd and Z talking about doing, She didn't visit with old friends as Bridge was doing today, She had no family to visit like Sky had grumpily planned for today, and she didn't . . . do whatever it was Jack did.

No, on days off she did what she was raised to do. Train.

Her plans for today were to go down to Angel Grove and train with two of her many "uncles." After she changed clothes, she went down to the vehicle hangar and grabbed an SPD patrol bike. She drove about forty-five minutes to the small but thriving town.

She always loved Angel Grove. She saw it as her home away from home.

She smiled as she walked through the door of the familiar dojo, and there stood a man in red and a man in black both were waiting for her.

"Tammi!" The Asian man in black yelled as he wrapped her in a big hug. The man in red followed soon after with a hug of equal size.

"Hi Uncle Adam, Uncle Jason." She said with a huge smile. She almost felt like crying at the sight of them. There were several times while she was trapped in Grumm's dungeon that the fear of never seeing these people again had plagued her, and now to be standing in front of the familiar faces again, it was a surprisingly joyful feeling. She could feel her eyes misting over, and quickly pushed those thoughts away.

By the looks on their faces they were feeling the same exact emotions. The three of them chuckled a little.

"Well, that's enough reuniting, it's time to get you back on track. You ready? Because with you being inactive for so long this may be slightly painful." Jason said at last.

"If I'm gonna risk my life fighting disgusting creeps everyday, It doesn't matter if I'm ready. I _need_ to do this." Tammi said as she set her stuff down on a nearby bench.

"All right then, let's go." Adam said as he rubbed his hands together and headed for the mats.

For the next three hours she sparred nonstop with the two middle aged gentlemen, and they were right. It was very painful. She was glad Aunt Kim interrupted them with lunch. It would give her a chance to asses her sore muscles.

"So, Commander Crugar gave you the day off, and you are spending it here?" Kimberly asked her in disbelief as she set out the KFC meal on the table in the staff lounge.

"Yes, I have to get back in the habit of non-stop, no mercy fighting. A monster is not going to stop attacking me if I run out of breath or get a cramp or something." She said as she began to fill up her paper plate with chicken.

"Hungry?" Jason asked with a laugh as he noticed Tammi's bending plate.

"I'm starved. You have no idea what that over processed food at headquarters can do to a person."

Suddenly Tammi realized something, Robby and Charlie, Kim and Jason's two oldest, were on the missing A and B squads. An awkwardness seemed to take control of the room, and Tammi looked up across the table at Kim and Jason. She felt a sting of guilt at their expressions.

Robby had been her responsibility. He was on her squad. He had been her second in command. He was the red ranger that was exactly like his father, and she had let Grumm get his hands on him and Kai, Adam's daughter, as well. She had been the B-squad pink ranger. No one had expected that. After all she was the daughter of the original yellow ranger and the second black ranger.

She had let everyone down. She wondered if any of their parents hated her. She wouldn't blame them if they did. She felt a hand touch her shoulder, and turned around.

"It's not your fault." Adam said soothingly.

"But I was the leader; it was my job and responsibility to look out for them. I didn't do that job. How can you say it's not my fault?" Tammi asked as she looked away from them all.

"I've been where you are, Tammi, and trust me there was nothing you could do. I know it feels like you could and should have done something, but you couldn't. No one could have." Jason said as he sat down beside her.

"Oh God, everyone must hate me. I lost their kids . . ." She said with a slight sob.

"Oh, honey, no. We are all just glad that you are alive. Do you know what you being home means?" Kim asked as she too tried to comfort her. "It means there is hope that our children are still alive as well."

"I . . . I have to go." Tammi said abruptly as she practically leapt from the table. She couldn't take it anymore. It didn't matter what they said this guilt would never go away, and the longer she sat in that room with them the worse it got. They all called out after her, but their cries fell upon deaf ears. She drove speedily and recklessly back to headquarters.

As she walked to her apartment she took big, labored breaths to keep herself from breaking down. _What am I going to do?_ She thought _I'll only hurt SPD in this condition. I've got to forget about it. I've got to push it to the back of my mind and move on. As long as I avoid family members of my teammates It shouldn't be that hard._ She thought with a gulp as she made it inside of her quarters.

"Oh God, Who the hell am I kidding?" She said to herself as she tearfully collapsed on the bed.

* * *

Jack had absolutely _nothing_ to do today. Everyone else had plans, and he refused to do anything strenuous on any of the rare days off Crugar gave them. So he sat around in his room, and hung out in the rec room. It seemed the logical thing to do. 

He was headed back to his room when he noticed something odd. Tammi was crying. The ice-queen of SPD was crying. _Wow, if she took her hair out of that ridiculously tight bun and put on normal clothes she might actually look human_ He thought to himself as he watched her brush past him.

Something strange happened when she passed him. He began to worry about her. He wanted to ask if she was okay, but decided against it. She seemed to need to be by herself, but at some point he **was** going to find out what was going on.

That's when he realised something inside him was concerned for her, and he didn't like it.


	5. Breaking The Ice

**This chapter requires knowledge of the events of "messenger pt 1 & 2"**

Chapter 5: Breaking the Ice

"I don't understand why you guys even try. The Ice Queen is never gonna melt." Jack said calling Tammi by his new nickname for her.

"You need to have a little faith in her, Jack." Z said repremandingly.

"Not to mention some understanding. I mean she's been locked up in a crummy dungeon for five years. Eww, just the thought of it gives me chills. Just think about all the bugs that place must be infested with." Syd said with a shiver as her face contorted in disgust.

"The bugs were probably nothing compared to the torture." Sky said with a somber tone flashing back to the scars on Tammi's body.

At that remark Z, Syd, and Jack looked up form the couch and gave Sky suspicious looks.

"Is there something you need to tell us about Tammi, Sky?" Jack asked in his leader like tone.

"Like you said, she doesn't talk to any of us, so why would I know anything?" Sky asked patronizingly.

Jack was about to retaliate when Bridge and Tammi walked in. They were doing something the rangers had never seen Tammi do before, laugh.

"Oh, please don't be so hard on yourself, it was your first lesson you'll pick it up besides you're way ahead of the other students in my class." She told him assuringly with a pat on the shoulder.

"There is no way I am going to remember all of those movements in that exact order." Bridge said as he sat down in a chair.

"Bridge, you'll be fine, after a while it will be second nature to you. All the movements flow into one another, you'll get it, trust me." She told him before she realized the entire room was staring at her. "What are all of you staring at? Am I not allowed to laugh or something?"

The four of them gulped and looked away.

"Just keep practicing Bridge, you'll get it." She continued as if nothing had happened.

"So, what does he need to keep practicing at?" Z asked curiously with a grin.

"Martial arts." Tammi answered with a warm smile.

"So, you teach a martial arts class? Could I join? Sounds like good training, and a good place to meet guys." Syd said with a wicked grin.

"Well, if the guys you want to meet are twelve years old or under, go for it." Tammi answered with a chuckle. "It's a beginner's class."

"Oh, well still sounds fun, I think I might join anyway. Where do I sign up?" Syd asked sincerely.

"You just did, I expect to see you at the community center next Tuesday at seven." Tammi told her with a wink. At that moment there was a loud crash outside of the common room, and the rangers ran to see what it was.

Tammi had to stifle a laugh when she saw Michelle flat on the floor surrounded by piles of text books. Boom was across from her holding some invention tightly to his chest. She couldn't even begin to guess what that was.

He jumped up, and looked toward the rangers.

"Big trouble got to tell Crugar and Kat, follow me!" Boom commanded as he ran down the hallway, not even bothering to help Michelle up.

Bridge stepped forward and helped Michelle stand and pick up her books.

"Thanks" She said with a smile. "Sounds like you guys better follow Boom." Michelle said as she continued her way down the hallway.

"Hey, chelle?" Tammi asked her as she began to leave. "You okay?"

"Umm, not really." She responded in a strange tone.

"Well, then I want to talk to you later, okay?" Tammi asked with concern.

"Yeah, sure." She said feebly.

Tammi nodded and then continued following Boom to the Command Center with the others.

* * *

They returned from battle disheartened and wounded. The rangers went to the infirmary to have their injuries inspected while Crugar tried to contact Supreme Commander Birdie. 

"You think Birdie will help us?" Syd asked as a cadet was bandaging her upper arm.

"After all my father did for him, he better." Tammi mumbled with narrowed eyes.

"Besides they won't leave one of their most central bases high and dry." Z said mustering up all the confidence she could, but they all knew Commander Birdie wasn't too fond of the earth base.

Jack and Sky exchanged looks that communicated all of the doubt the two rangers had.

"What if Boom's message is right? What if SPD does fall today?" Bridge asked from the corner of the room.

"It won't." Tammi said with determination.

"But what if it's like our fate or destiny or something and . . ." Bridge continued.

"Then we change destiny." Tammi answered again. "Just like all the rangers before us, and anyways, I'll be damned if I let something my father worked so hard to form, fall in one day to a bunch of ruthless Space criminals."

The other five people in the room noted Tammi's anger and determination. Her hands were balled up into fists. There was more to her emotions than defending her father's work.

Tammi suddenly relaxed, and her expression changed from determined to broken hearted.

"This place is all that kept going while I was locked up in that ship. I kept thinking if I survive this I'll go home and stop this . . . this bastard . . . from destroying my home. I'll get my teammates back, and everything will go back to the way it was. That was stupid because it can never go back to the way it was, but I'm certainly not gonna let anything happen to what's here now. I'm not gonna let Grumm destroy my life a second time." She said with a sigh and a single tear that was quickly wiped away.

_Okay, maybe 'ice queen' isn't the appropriate nickname for her_, Jack thought to himself as he and his four team mates sat in silence with no idea how to respond to Tammi's out burst of emotions. _Well, I guess the ice is officially broken._

Sky couldn't believe Tammi had just done that. She had revealed her emotions, her private thoughts to all of them. If he had been in her position he certainly wouldn't have done that. A part of him, for some unknown reason, was proud of her. She had defied her training and instincts. That was something he could rarely ever bring himself to do. Maybe that's why he did what he did next.

He approached Tammi as she sat on one of the cots in the infirmary, and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Tammi, trust me when I say, that none of us will ever let that happen" He told her sincerely.

**

* * *

**

**A/N: hoped you enjoyed it. There were some major spoilers for "messenger" and I did take some liberties with the way Boom found all of the rangers. Not an especially long chapter but hey, it's something right?**

**Thanks for the reviews and keep it up!**


	6. Headaches and Healing

**The Return**

Chapter Six: Headaches and Healing

By angellwings

Tammi made her way down the lofty corridors of SPD headquarters toward the female dormitories. She marched quickly past Z and Syd's room and pounded on the door next to theirs.

"Chelle? You there? It's me, Tammi; I want to talk to you."

"Come in." I tired voice called on the other side as the arched doors slid open.

Tammi saw Michelle lying on her back on the bed. She looked pale and weak.

"Michelle? Are you okay?" Tammi asked worriedly.

"I don't know, but I don't think so. I have these unbearable headaches and every so often I have brain freeze that's ten times the size of Texas. I think I'm losing control of my powers. It's done this before, but it stopped. I thought it was just a temporary thing, but then last week it started up again. I feel horrible, and my powers are extra sensitive now. I can't even bump up against someone with out getting a reading of their emotions. It's driving me crazy." She said with desperation, "I don't know what to do, and the other cadets on my squad are getting suspicious. I don't want them to know, Tammi; most of them resent you guys for having powers. They think you are all gonna go insane and take down the Commander one day. If they know that I have any kind of special abilities . . ."

"Michelle, it's okay, alright we're gonna get you help alright. Just stay put I'm gonna go talk to someone. I'll be right back I promise." Tammi said softly with a reassuring stare as she headed out of the room.

"Tammi, what are you going to do? I don't want to draw attention to this."

"Trust me, Chelle, I promise nothing will get out." Tammi said before the doors slid closed.

She had to admit she was scared. The situation didn't look good. What was she going to do? Michelle was her responsibility. She promised Dr. O she would look after her.

_Think, Tammi, Think,_ She thought to herself, _Michelle can read emotions and auras so there is only one person on the base who can help her . . . Bridge. I've got to find Bridge._

Tammi broke out into a jog as she neared the common room. Jack was reading a comic book, Sky was on the opposite end of the room reading the manual, and Sam was floating over Syd's shoulder as she painted her nails.

"Where's Bridge?" She asked breathlessly.

"I don't know, why?" Jack asked suspiciously.

"It's nothing . . . . It's just that my laptop is crashing, and I was hoping he could fix it." She said between gulps of air, _Yeah right, DeSantos, like they are really going to believe that._

Sky peered over his manual skeptically, and then answered.

"He's in the room, doing something with Ric."

"Thanks, Sky." She said as she hurried off to the male dormitories

She approached the door and wasted no time with knocking. The door slid open and she barged in. Bridge's head snapped around.

"Tammi, wha-"

"No time, Bridge, It's Michelle. She needs your help. It's an emergency." Tammi said with a gasping breath and a gulp.

Bridge's eyebrows merged together, "Where is she?"

"In her room, I'll take you to her, but we have to hurry. She's in a lot of pain."

When they finally reached the room Bridge began to ask Tammi questions.

"What kind of pain?"

"Headaches, bad ones, and she said she is losing control of her powers. She can't touch any one with out accidentally reading their emotions."

"I went through that; her powers are growing too rapidly for her brain to adjust." Bridge said as he approached her bed side, "Michelle, you're body is in danger, we have to get you to Crugar right away, okay?"

"No, no, the others on my squad will . . ."

"It's you're life or their acceptance, which would you rather have?" Bridge asked quickly and harshly.

She sighed. Tammi thought she had never seen Bridge acting this mature or ever seen him think on his feet so fast.

"Alright, Michelle, I'm gonna carry you to the command center, so brace yourself for a wave of emotions alright?" Bridge warned her as he scooped her weak form into his arms. He stopped suddenly.

"That's weird." He said with a shocked expression on his face.

"What? What's weird?" Tammi asked with concern.

"I didn't feel anything. There was no wave." He said as he looked down at Michelle, "Did you feel anything?"

She feebly shook her head no.

"Strange" Bridge said before he brought himself back to the present and hurried out of the door.

* * *

Later that day she saw Bridge in the mess hall for dinner, and called him over to a secluded corner in the room.

"What happened?" She asked worriedly.

"The Commander wants me to train her on how to focus and control her powers." Bridge said sadly.

"But will she be okay?" Tammi asked.

"Yeah, she'll be fine after some intensive training, and . . ." Bridge responded half-heartedly as he stared down at his fabric covered hands.

"She'll have to wear protective gloves for the rest of her life won't she?" Tammi asked knowingly.

"Yeah" Bridge said with a gulp. "It's gonna be hard for her once she's out of training, you know. The looks, the ridicule, the questions. I don't want her to go through what I went through."

"Hey, look at it this way; she's got you and the rest of us to help her through it." Tammi said with a gentle smile.

"Yeah . . . yeah I guess you're right." He said with a sad smile.

"So . . . you think Crugar would let me go see her?"

"Yeah, but you can't go in the room with her. Crugar has this lead-lined room set up. Her powers, like you said, are ultra sensitive right now, and anyone who comes with in ten feet of her will cause her mind to spasm. He's got an interview window set up though so you can speak to her through a speaker."

"Wait a minute, if no one can come with in ten feet of her then how are you going to . . ."

"It seems Michelle and I can't read each other. Not even with skin-to-skin contact. So, I will have no problems training her." Tammi could have sworn that that sentence brightened his mood a little bit.

"Is that a good thing?" I asked in confusion.

"For us it is. It means we don't have to work as hard to control our powers. I can let loose when I'm around her and she can let loose when she is around me. There's finally somebody I can relax around." He told Tammi with a soft smile.

* * *

The next week she went to check up on Michelle, and they stood face to face on either sides of the glass. 

"How are you holding up?" Tammi asked the young girl through the glass.

"I'm okay, better than before anyway." She said with a sad smile, "Just be grateful your powers are in check."

"In check? What you think I've never had an experience like this?" Tammi asked incredulously. "Do you remember about six and half years ago, when your father came down to headquarters about once a week?" She asked as her voice softened.

"Yeah." Michelle answered cautiously.

"Did you ever wonder why?" Tammi asked her as she looked away from the glass.

"Yeah, but all he would ever tell me was that he was helping your dad with some research."

"And he was, but that research just happened to be me." She said with a smile in Michelle's direction. "Did you ever see that old movie that came out in '05 called _The Fantastic Four_?"

"Did I ever see it? It's Michael's favorite movie of all time, I think I know like every single line." Michelle said wryly.

"Yeah, well do you know who the Human Torch is?"

"Yeah . . . wait! You mean you . . .?"

"My entire body was on fire for three days. I mean it wasn't painful or anything, but I had to be kept in a room about like the one you're in now. It drove me crazy; it was like being shut in solitary confinement. I hated it. Anyway thanks to your father . . . . and the wind and thunder ninja academies, I learned how to create and control my flames with more focus." She said with smile. "And I'm sure once you get out of here you'll be ten times more powerful than you were."

"Do the others on your squad know about your powers?" Michelle asked curiously. She hadn't really seen Tammi use them since she arrived at the academy.

"Haven't really been given the opportunity to use them yet, but I'm sure Sky and Jack know. I mean Sky has been here since I was leader of B-squad, and Jack is extremely suspicious of me. So I am sure at least the two of them have figured it out." Tammi told her "But I'm not really worried about it, if they find out they find out, no big deal. Well, I gotta blaze. I'm supposed to go train your squad in a hand-to-hand combat course. I'll be back to see you tomorrow though."

"Alright, and thanks for helping me last week. Kat said if you hadn't come to see me when you did I could have had a brain aneurism." Michelle said with fear and worry in her eyes.

"We're family, Chelle, it's what we do. No need for gratitude." Tammi said with a wink as she left for the training field.

**

* * *

**

**Alright, so this will be my last post on this story for a while. I have decided to focus all of my creative juices on my story "Memories: The Orange Ranger Story" it's the story that will and does sort of proceed this one. So I think it would be best if I finish it before I get too deep in to this one.**

**Please Review, and thanks for reading! I'll let you guys know the next time I'm gonna post!**

**angellwings**


	7. The Cobbon Cold

_**The Return**_

_By angellwings_

**Chapter Seven- The Cobbon Cold**

Sky's morning trek to the command center had become a routine part of the day. It was the same everyday. He would stop by and ask the commander if there were any duties he needed filled. The commander would shake his head and say, "No Cadet Tate, but I will call on you if one appears." Then Sky would salute and exit, knowing that nothing would come up.

But the minute he arrived at the command center doors he knew today would be different.

"Cadet DeSantos, I specifically ordered you to take this day to rest. I told you yesterday that you would be no good to the team with your current illness." He overheard Crugar say in an authoritative tone.

"I donb'd deed do resd, Sir. I'm vine." Tammi protested stuffily.

Sky grinned as he heard her speak. Tammi had a cold. It seemed to be a particularly nasty one, too, but she refused to accept that she was sick. So, Crugar ordered her to a strict regimen of bed rest.

He heard Crugar growl and say, "Go home, Cadet. That's an order."

"Bud, sir, I'm vine. A liddle cold canb'd stob be-"

"Enough! Cadet Tate!" the Commander called angrily as the doors opened. Crugar hoped to God that Sky stuck to his routine today.

"Yes, Sir?" Sky responded with a salute.

"Escort Cadet DeSantos back to her quarters and see to it that she stays there to relax." He barked as he continued down the hallway.

"I'm VINE, dabbit!" Tammi yelled after him, "I cab sdill work!"

Sky stifled a laugh as Tammi spoke. It was rather hard to take someone seriously when they couldn't even curse properly.

"Whad are you laughing ad?" She asked with a glare. He grinned back at her.

"Nothing." He said. His grin didn't falter one bit.

"Well, iv you thibk thad you are going do keeb be frob working, you're insade." She said as attempted to rush past him. He grabbed her wrist quickly.

"I don't think so, I was given orders, and I'm going to follow them. Now, you can come of your own will or we can do this the hard way." He said crossing his arms over his chest.

"Oh please, there is bo way you cab force be do go homb." She said not realizing she had issued a challenge for Sky.

He arched his left eyebrow and wordlessly hefted her over his shoulder.

"Whad the . . .! Dade, pud be downb!"

"I will, once I've got you locked in your apartment." He said calmly as he marched toward the west wing where the officer's quarters were housed.

Tammi sighed and resigned. _Well, at least I've got a nice view. _She thought with a grin as she glanced at Sky's butt.

"Woah, Slow dowb DeSandos." She said to herself in a stuffed up whisper.

As they passed the B-squad common room she motioned to the team that everything was fine, and waved them off when they started to come after them.

They walked through numerous hallways, rode in several elevators, and got hundreds of strange looks. She waved at the officers that were attending to the West Wing housing desk, and assured them that she wasn't in any danger.

Sky suddenly stopped outside of her door.

"What's the entry code?" He asked.

"I'b nod delling you." She said in defiance.

Sky turned so that she was facing the keypad, "Then you type it in."

"Abd iv I donb't?" She asked curiously.

"Then I'll drop you on your head." He responded in a flat tone.

"Vine, bud you canb'd keeb be in here forever."

"Not forever, just until you stop being stupid, and let yourself recover from this cold." He said as the keypad tones filled the air.

"Id's oben." She announced begrudgingly.

Sky grinned and made his way into the apartment. The sickly Tammi was very entertaining. She acted a lot like he did when he was sick, well, before his mother threatened to kick his ass if he didn't get some rest.

He dumped her on the couch and made his way to the kitchen. He started opening and shutting cabinets looking for soup or any other cold remedy she might have.

"Whad are you doing?" She asked him resentfully as she pulled herself up from the couch.

"You stay down, and tell me where you keep your soup." He ordered as he continued rummaging through her cabinets.

"In the pandry, firsd door downb the hall on the righd." She said as she started walking.

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked as he once again crossed his arms over his chest.

"If I canb'd work, I'm ad leasd going do wash uh load of clobes." She said as she let out a huge sneeze.

Sky chuckled at her. Yep, she was definitely like him. You've got to get something done everyday, that was how he thought too. He grabbed the box of tissues from the end table and handed it to her.

"No, you're going to stay right there on that couch. If your laundry has to be done so badly then I'll do it for you. But first you're going to sit right there and have a bowl of soup." He told her with a friendly grin.

"I donb'd ged id, why are you doing this?" She asked him skeptically. "I bean I've never really beend a deam blayer. The only beoble on the deam I really dalk do are Bridge and Syd."

"Crugar, gave me orders-"

"Yeah, do dake be do by abardbent and bake sure I rest nod do bake be soub and do by laundry."

Sky sighed, she was right. Those weren't his orders, but he had recently discovered that he had a soft spot for the Orange ranger. He couldn't help it; he saw so much of himself in her.

"You want the truth?" He asked as he sat down beside her on the couch

"Thad would be nice." She replied sarcastically.

"It's because, you and I are a lot alike." He said reluctantly, "We have similar training habits, work ethics, and we're not exactly forth coming with private information. I guess I can relate to you a lot."

"I've never really thoughd aboud id before, bud I guess we are kind of sibilar." She said with a small smile.

"yeah" He said awkwardly as he cleared his throat and headed to the pantry. He was shocked to discover that she actually stayed put, and didn't try to do any work at all.

_He can relate to me?_ Tammi asked herself, _His father served under my fathers command and on the same team as my mother. So there's one thing we have in common, links to the origins of SPD. His father and my mother disappeared in the same battle . . . there's two things. And then everything else he mentioned. Why hadn't I ever thought about that before? Oh God, here comes another sneeze . . ._

"ah . . . Ah . . . AHCHOOOO!"

And much to her surprise her sneeze caused flames to burst out of her nose. She bit her bottom lip as she held the charcoaled tissue in her hand. _This day just gets better and better._

"Are you . . ." Sky stopped mid-sentence at the sight of the Kleenex, "What the hell?"

Tammi cleared her throat as best as she could with her cold.

"Did I forged do mention thad I cab manibulade and condrol fire?" She asked sheepishly.

"Wait a minute, you mean to say that you have a power too?" He asked with shock.

"Yeb, jusd like everyone else on the deam."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"No one ever asked."

Sky grinned, "So, when you have colds do you always sneeze fire?"

"Well, nod always somedibes id's jusd sbarks or sboke. Beliebe be when we were younger by brother had a field day with thab one. He called be Dragon Breath."

"Dragon Breath, huh? You know I kind of like it." He said with an impish smile.

"Sky, if you sdard calling be thad I will have do kick your budd." She said sternly.

"My budd? I bet that would hurt." He said with a chuckle.

"Shud ub! I cab'd helb thad I'b Sduffy." She said with a light laugh as she smacked his arm.

"I guess I better fix that soup then?" He asked her with a good-natured smile.

"blease do, I think by cold is gedding worse."

* * *

**That's it, that's chapter seven! It's just a cute little fluff chapter I got the inspiration for when I had the cold a couple weeks ago.**

**B is m, n, or p**

**D is t, sometimes s**

**V is sometimes f**

**If you can't understand it pretend you have a stuffy nose and read it again, lol, my stories are now interactive! **

**Read and Review,**

**angellwings**


	8. The Christmas Time Peace Treaty

The Return

Chapter Eight: The Christmas Time Peace Treaty

By angellwings

It had been almost three weeks since Tammi's now infamous sick week. That day had done wonders for Tammi's people skills, and no one exactly knew why. She'd befriended Z and grown even closer to Sky, Bridge, and Syd. The only Ranger she continued to distance herself from was Jack. Although there did seem to be higher level of tolerance and civility between the two.

Sky had become particularly close to the orange ranger. When he had gotten her cold the next week Tammi had been the person who spent the majority of the time taking care of him. Not long after that he had discovered he had some type of romantic feelings toward her, and it seemed the more time he spent with her the worse it got.

He had even started to feel a little jealousy, get this, toward Jack of all people. There was really nothing to be jealous about because Tammi and Jack did not get along, but something about Jack's presence was threatening whenever Tammi was around. He should have been throwing those feelings in Michael Oliver's direction. The guy had only been after Tammi for six years, but he knew from what Tammi had told him that she had no intentions of ever dating Mike.

"_He's like my spare big brother or something dating him would be so gross!" _

But why was he wary of Jack? He had chalked it up to paranoia as soon as he started feeling it. He was pretty sure it had something to do with him being in possession of the red morpher.

"So, what is everyone doing for Christmas?" Syd asked as she flipped through a fashion magazine. "Well, other than Z obviously."

Z had been invited by Sydney's parents to join them on their holiday skiing trip, and since she had never been skiing she wouldn't dare pass it up.

"I'm spending the 23rd with Chelle at Dr. Oliver's Christmas party, and then spending Hanukkah with my family just like every year" Bridge replied cheerfully.

_He must really be excited about that party, _Tammi thought, _Maybe it's not the party he's excited about, but the company that he'll be in._

She grinned at that thought. She knew Bridge and Michelle had become closer, and she knew Bridge liked her, but she didn't know whether Michelle returned the feelings. She hoped she did. She thought they would be cute together, and she hoped that Michelle asking Bridge to be her date at the party was a sign that she was right.

"I'm spending all of it with my family, of course." Sky said as he leaned in to Tammi's ear, "My sister is dying to show off her new fiancé to all of our cousins."

He rolled his eyes, and shook his head to show his disdain for her actions. Tammi chuckled.

"I'd really like to meet this sister of yours some time."

"Speaking of which, mom wanted to know if you wanted to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas day with us." He asked as he returned his gaze to The Handbook.

"I don't know, I don't want to intrude . . ."

"Tammi . . ." He said as he lifted his gaze to meet her's "I was given strict orders not to take no for an answer. My mom says she is dying to see you again."

"Again? You mean she's seen me before?" Tammi asked in confusion.

"Yes, apparently our parents used to be card playing buddies." He said with a grin.

"Really? Wow, well, then alright I'll come. I wonder if your mom knows any embarrassing stories about my parents? I love those." She said with a wicked gleam in her eyes.

"So, what are you doing Jack?" Syd asked casually.

" . . . uh . . hanging out with some buddies from my Robin Hood days . . ." He said awkwardly.

"Really who?" Z asked in anticipation.

"Oh, these are pre-Z guys." He told her with a grin.

"Right, well have fun, but not too much fun, ya got me?" Z asked in warning.

"Loud and clear." He said with a laugh.

"Come on Sky, let's go do something . . . I'm bored. Let's go play lightball or something." Tammi whined as she tugged on his arm like a three year old.

"I'm busy." He said as he waved her off, and buried him self in his handbook.

"You're kidding me right? You've read that thing so many times you probably have every word memorized." She said with a glare.

"I do not have every word memorized." He protested.

"Regulation 5-A?"

"That's not fair every cadet knows that one." He said defensively

"Fine then, regulation 22-Z?" She asked as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Well, I guess I could read this later . . ." He answered sheepishly.

"Thank you!" She said as she dragged him toward the exit.

"Just do us all a favor and try not to hit Sam this time."

"I didn't mean to! I mean he is a freakin' ball of light! It could have happened to anyone!" She yelled.

"Or it could have happened to someone with an overdeveloped sense of competitiveness." He said in an accusatory tone.

"Oh, yeah, you're one to talk, Mr. I-gotta-blow-up-the-comet-first!"

"Meteor." He corrected.

"Whatever!" She yelled indifferently as the doors slid closed behind them.

* * *

Today was the day. The day when everyone left for their Holiday vacation and no one would be back till December 31st.

Jack didn't know what he was going to do. That whole bit about him visiting old friends? Yeah, that was just a big fat lie to make sure no one made him a pity offer.

Sydney and Z left first, and Z made him promise to keep her updated on how his holiday was going. Sky was next. He stopped by the common room to tell Tammi he would be by around 7:00 P.M. on Christmas Eve to pick her up, and then last but not least was Bridge.

Which just left him and Tammi sitting in the common room with an air full of uncomfortable silence surrounding them.

"So . . . when are you leaving?" Jack asked trying to sound nonchalant.

"I'm not." She said defiantly as she turned off the viewing screen. "When are you?"

Jack just stared at her in shock. She wasn't leaving! _Damn_, he thought, _Well that throws a wrench in everything._ His plan was to wait for her to leave, and then call Z and pretend like he was having a good time.

"You don't have any plans do you?" She asked him with a grin.

"Of-of course I do." He stammered back.

"You don't have to put up that act with me, Jack. Were sort of in the same boat you know?"

"I'm not putting up an-wait! Did you just call me Jack?" He asked in disbelief.

"That is your first name isn't it?" She responded sarcastically.

"Yeah, but you usually call me Landors, and how are we in the same boat? You have plans."

"Not with my family, I don't."

"What do you consider, Dr. Oliver? A random stranger you met on the street?"

"Oh, those plans . . ."

"Yeah, those."

"I-I'm not going."

"Like hell you're not!" Jack suddenly yelled in outrage, "I don't have any family to spend the holidays with, but you do. You'd have to be a complete idiot to pass that up!"

"You _don't_ understand . . ."

"Then make me understand because it sounds to me like you're taking everything for granted."

"It's just . . . those people . . . m-my family, well most of their kids were on either A-squad or . . . or B-squad . . ."

Realization hit Jack like a stampede of elephants, " . . . the other rangers on your squad, the squad that you led into battle . . ."

"Yeah, . . . and I lost them. They were my responsibility and I _lost_ them. I can't face those people after that. At least not alone." She said sadly as she stared down at her hands.

"So, it would help if someone went with you?" He asked with interest.

"Well, it would make things a little better, yeah."

Jack didn't know what he was thinking. Normally they couldn't stand each other, but what she was feeling now he could sympathize with. He was racked with guilt every time something _almost_ happened to any of the others. He couldn't imagine what it was like to not know if your team mates were even alive, and it must be worse to know that you led them into the fight that put them in that danger. He shuddered. He couldn't believe he had never thought about that before. That could be the source of all her behavior. He wasn't a psychiatrist but he knew something like that could permanently wound someone's will to be a part of a team.

"I'll go with you." He offered impulsively.

"You'll what?" She asked staring at him as of he'd just grown another head . . . or twenty.

"If it will make it easier for you than I'll go with you, and I promise I won't bust your chops the entire night."

She didn't know where his sudden burst of kindness was coming from, but she was way too intrigued to turn it down.

"Okay," She said cautiously, "I guess that would be cool. So, does this mean we're under some sort of Peace treaty?"

"Yeah, you could call it that. Sort of like a Christmas time peace treaty."

"Should we shake on it?" Tammi asked awkwardly.

"Nah, but how about a coffee instead?"

"Blek, I hate coffee!" She said as she wrinkled up her nose.

"Okay, hot chocolate then?"

She skeptically narrowed her eyes at him, and then prayed this wasn't some sort of cruel joke.

"Why not? What harm could it do? It's not like our relationship could get any worse right?" She said with a shrug as they headed to the cafeteria.

* * *

**Chapter Eight! I know, I know! I should be writing the next chapter of "Memories" right? But I can't help it! I'm in the zone with this story right now. The next chappy of Memories will come soon, I promise! **

**Angellwings**

**P.S.- Good News! I finished SOS To The World! Yay! That's one story down, and like six to go! WOO HOO! Go ME!**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I think Chapter Seven is my favorite thing I've written . . . ever! It was so fun! I'm glad you guys liked it too! And hope you like the next chapter even more!**


	9. What was that?

The Return

By angellwings

Chapter 9: What Was That?

Jack and Tammi spent a while adjusting to the non-hostile version of each other. They got to know each other's basic information, and even discussed a few things they had in common.

The morning of the twenty-third rolled around quickly, and Jack came over for breakfast. The cafeteria was closed for the Christmas holidays and everyone either had to leave the base to buy lunch or visit their friends with apartments to make their own food. Jack chose, of course, the free food from Tammi's kitchen. Due to Tammi's dedication to giving the treaty a try she decided to let him. It might give them a way to continue down the path to comradery, she hoped it did anyway.

She stepped out of her bedroom in a pair of old gym shorts and an oversized blue SPD T-shirt only to practically jump out of her skin when she discovered Jack sitting at her kitchen table shoveling cereal down his throat.

"God, you scared the hell out of me." She said through a yawn.

"Sorry, woke up and couldn't go back to sleep, so I came here for some food." He explained as he examined her outfit. "Nice shirt, you haven't by any chance been raiding Sky's closet?"

"Huh?" She asked in a clueless tone as she glanced down at herself, then blushed furiously when she realized what she was wearing, "Oh, that. He . . . umm . . . left it here while I was sick. See, he-"

"I don't want to know." He interrupted, "I'm sure there's a logical explanation. There always is where Sky is concerned."

She nodded in agreement and pulled a bowl down from the cabinet. It suddenly hit her how weird this was. Three days ago her and Jack never spoke to each other, and now he knows the entry code to her apartment and eats her food. Well, it looked like their Christmas Time Peace Treaty was working.

"fo, what am I fpposed to wear to thif thing?" Jack asked with his mouth full of cereal as Tammi joined him at the table.

"Swallow before you talk please," She insisted with a chuckle.

"Sorry." He apologized with out shame.

"Umm, nice but not formal, if you know what I mean."

"No, I have no idea what you mean. Besides all I have in my closet are jeans and t-shirts. Nothing all that nice."

"Well, that's okay. We'll hook you up with some of my brother and my dad's old clothes. You look like you're about their size anyway." She said with a shrug.

After breakfast Jack left and said he would be back at about Five to pick out an outfit. She asked if he just wanted to stay and hang out for a bit, but he said he had an errand to run. She didn't know what he could possibly be doing but shrugged it off.

Tammi sighed with boredom and glanced at her Christmas tree. She had presents under there for everyone. Sky, Syd, Z, Bridge, 'Chelle, Mike, and Jack. Wait! No she didn't. She had a present for everyone but Jack!

"Crap!" She said as she smacked herself in the head. She got up and got dressed to go shopping for the day. "Where's Syd when you need her?"

* * *

She circled the mall about twelve times stopping in every store there was, but had no idea what to get Jack. _Think, Tammi, Think . . . what do you know about him?_ She thought to herself as she looked around a novelty shop. Then her eyes stopped on the comic book shop across the way. _Of course! His favorite comic Time Malfunction! That's a Trent Fernandez comic. Finally my father's connections are useful in a way that doesn't involve combat!_

Tammi hurriedly left the store, and made a quick road trip to Reefside. She took a deep breath as she pulled up outside of her Uncle Trent's house. He jerked the door open before she made it all the way up his stoop.

"Tammi!" He yelled happily as he gave her hug.

"Hey Trent!" She said with a smile. She rarely called her younger aunts and uncles by their title. It just seemed so weird to her. So she called them by their first names.

"How are you?" He asked carefully.

"I'm fine, great actually, but I do have a tiny favor to ask you." She told him sweetly.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, see I got all of my team mates Christmas presents except for one because, well, up until three days ago we didn't actually get along, long story, but I just remembered that he loves your comics. So, I was wondering if I could get an autographed comic book."

"Well, your mother did give me my first real job, so yeah, of course." He said with a wink.

"Really?"

"Yeah . . ."

"Oh my God, I so owe you! You are the BEST uncle ever!" She said as she hugged him. He laughed and ushered her inside.

* * *

She arrived back at her apartment approximately an hour and a half before Jack was supossed to arrive. _Just enough time to get ready._ She thought. 

She hopped in the shower, dried her hair, applied make-up, and got dressed just five minutes before Jack walked through her front door.

She stood behind her kitchen counter smiling at him. Her hair was down falling neatly across her shoulders. It was the only time he'd seen it down, other than this morning, and he didn't really count morning hair. She always either had it in a bun or a tight pony-tail.

She stepped out from behind the counter and led him down the hallway to her brother's room. She was wearing a long-sleeved orange cable knit sweater with a pale yellow polo shirt underneath it, a pair of denim trouser pants that had zero signs of wrinkles, and a pair of black pumps with skinny heels and pointy toes. She looked nice, and kind of casual too.

"Okay, so I laid out some things I thought you might like on the bed. So just come out when you're ready or if you need help with any thing." She said with a smile as she started to leave the room.

"Tammi?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"No problem, have fun!" She said with a wink as she shut the door.

Twenty five outfits and an hour later Jack came out wearing something both he and Tammi liked. A pair of loose fighting jeans, a white T-shirt with what looked like a red and black splatter paint pattern on it, a red corduroy blazer, and a pair of nice brown leather dress shoes.

"You ready?" She asked him as she grabbed a set of keys out of the cabinet drawer beside the sink.

"Yeah, are you?" He asked seriously.

"Let's hope so." She said as she grabbed her purse and led the way to the parking garage.

* * *

When they pulled up outside of the house all the lights were on and the faint sounds of holiday music drifted from the house. 

"Sounds like Dr. Oliver throws a heck of a party." Jack said with raised eyebrows.

"You have no idea." Tammi said with a chuckle as they both exited the car.

Michelle answered the door, and nearly slammed the door in their faces when she saw Jack standing beside Tammi.

"What are you doing here?" She asked in shock.

"He's my date." Tammi answered her calmly as she stepped through the door.

"Oh my god. Jack what did you do to her?" Michelle asked as she gawked at him.

"I didn't do anything to her."

"Are you sure? You didn't like install some kind of brain control device or anything?"

"No, Michelle. I have done nothing to alter Tammi's mind or thoughts, okay?"

"Wow, then I must have stepped into the Twilight Zone or something." Michelle said as she shook her head and made her way back toward Bridge.

Jack and Tammi circled the room. Tammi was hugged by every person that passed and Jack was introduced to every person they passed. There were way too many names and faces for him to remember them all.

"So where is this Michael guy that hit on you the last time we were here?" He asked with an evil grin.

"I don't know, but I would like to try and avoid him if at all possible."

"Why?"

"Because he is going to try and ask me out again that's why. I swear that boy can not get it through his head that nothing is going to happen between us."

"Then why did you give him permission to ask you out last time?"

"What? I so did not."

"You said he could come by and _hang out_ one weekend."

"Yeah, hang out not make out." She clarified.

"They're the same thing to a guy." Jack told her with a chuckle.

"Are you serious? How come no one ever told me this?" She asked with disbelief.

Jack shrugged, "Oh, look he's headed this way."

"No, no, no, NO! Come on follow me." She said in a panic as she dragged Jack down the hallway and through a door way. She shut the door immediately.

"You do realize that this is a closet, right?" He asked wryly.

"Yes, I did but only after we were halfway through the door." She said bashfully.

Jack laughed, and not long after Tammi joined him. They stayed there laughing insanely for a little while until the closet door was jerked open. Tammi let out a yelp as the light hit her eyes.

"Okay, you two, out of the closet." Tommy said sternly with a little bit of amusement flashing behind his eyes.

"Sorry, Dr. O." Tammi muttered apologetically with a grin on her face.

"Yeah, sorry Dr. Oliver."

And with that they burst into a fit of laughter again. Tommy shook his head and walked back across the room.

"If you really want that Michael guy to leave you alone, then I can help you."

"How?" Tammi asked desperately.

"He sounds like the kind of guy that won't give up unless he thinks you're with someone else."

"A very correct and annoying assumption." Tammi said dryly as she rolled her eyes.

Jack chuckled, "So you're just going to have to pretend you're with someone else."

"That doesn't sound too hard."

"And since I'm the only available for that tonight . . ."

"Ooooohhhhhhhh . . ." She winced.

"Sounds hard now doesn't it?" He asked with a grin.

"Just a little bit." She said bringing her finger and thumb together to symbolize.

"Don't worry it doesn't have to take a lot of convincing, just a little bit of well placed convincing." He said as he grabbed her hand, "Now if we position our selves in the right place . . ."

He pulled her through the crowd into a corner that was well in Michael's view.

"Now all we have to do is wait for him to start to make his way over or stare or something- Oh, wait he's staring!" Jack said urgently as he pressed his mouth down on Tammi's. Her eyes went wide at first but eventually she caught on and started to play along. She slipped her arms around his neck, and he slipped his around her waist. Then suddenly they weren't pretending anymore. The kiss suddenly became real. _Oh God, _Tammi thought to herself, _This wasn't supposed to happen, although . . . it is kind of nice . . . NO! bad Tammi! _

_Okay, so no big deal, it's just a kiss . . . an awfully good kiss. NO this is Tammi you're kissing here! Remember that! _Jack thought as they suddenly broke apart.

They stared at each other awkwardly. Neither quite knew what to do with the moment that had just happened between them. Until Michael walked over to them, and then the act was back up.

"Hey, Tammi," He said with a rather fake smile.

"Oh, hey, Mike!" She said with a wave.

"You're Jack right? The red ranger?" He asked to clarify.

"Yeah, Michael Oliver, Dr. Oliver's son?"

"That's me. So, are the two of you . . . dating?" He asked hesitantly.

"Yep, about a month now, right Jack?" She said looking up at him cautiously. He smiled and slipped his arm back around her waist.

"Right, babe." He said as he gave her a quick peck on the forehead.

"Well, . . . uh, that's great! I'm happy for you Tammi." Mike said with all the false enthusiasm he could muster. He then told them he would talk to them later and left the room.

Normally Tammi would feel terrible about what she had just done to Michael, but at the moment she was too freaked out by the kiss to feel that guilt. As soon as he left they separated putting about a foot of space in between them.

"Well, thanks." Tammi said awkwardly as she cleared her throat, "We might want to extend that peace treaty . . ."

"Yeah, we will definitely be debating that when we get back to head quarters . . ." He said focusing on the floor as he nodded in agreement.

"Alright then, I'm just gonna go . . . talk to my aunts."

"Yeah, I think I'm gonna go find Bridge."

She cleared her throat again and nodded with embarrassment, "I'll, umm, talk to you later then . . ."

"Yeah, later . . ." He said as they walked off in opposite directions.

She sat down at a flimsy card table across from her aunts Kim, Hayley, and Aisha. Kim looked up when she sat down, and Tammi knew there was no avoiding talking about that day at the dojo. They would pull it out of her somehow; it was safer to just give it up, that way she didn't end up telling them something she didn't want them to know.

"About that day at the dojo . . ." She said to her aunt Kimberly.

"Oh, honey, forget about that . . . the only thing I'm worried about is the fact that you blame yourself for the incident." Kim said with a look of concern.

"Well, I _was_ their leader . . ."

"You sound just like Charlie . . . she used to call me up after every battle, and give me a detailed commentary of everything that went wrong and exactly how she could have stopped it. She thought everything that happened was her fault somehow, a trait I'm positive she picked up from her father. I'm going to tell you the same thing I used to tell her. Whatever happens out there happens. It was supposed to happen and if it didn't happen the way it did fate would have found another way. There was nothing you could do and there still is nothing you could do. The only thing left is to shake it off and move on or else how in the world are you going to live your life?" Kim said with an intense stare at Tammi. Tammi smiled softly, and nodded her head.

"You must've comforted a lot of leaders throughout your life."

She laughed, "You're not kidding, first Tommy, then Jason, Charlie, and Robby. You name 'em I've probably consoled 'em."

"Meanwhile . . ." Aisha said hoping to lighten the mood, "Who is that guy you brought with you? He is cute."

"Oh, Aunt Aisha, that's sick. Never say you think someone my age is cute again. It's really creepy." Tammi said as she put a hand over her eyes.

"Well, who is he?" She asked again.

"He's the B-squad red ranger, and . . . leader."

"So, that's the guy who stole your job?" Hayley asked throwing a slight glare in his direction.

"He didn't steal it, for goodness sakes he didn't even know I existed until a few months ago."

"I still say he stole your job." She said as she leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Forget about him . . . who was the boy Michelle told me about that took care of you when you had that cold a few weeks back?" Kim asked impatiently.

"Someone took care of you when you were sick? A male someone?" Aisha asked in surprise.

"That was Sky, he's the blue ranger." Tammi said smile as she thought back.

"Sky Tate? The son of Vivian Tate?" Hayley asked curiously.

"Yes, why?" Tammi asked with suspicion.

"Well, isn't that interesting. Your parents used to play cards with them all the time." Hayley said with a grin.

"Oh, _that's_ who that is! I remember them! They used to bring that little boy over _all _the time! He was about a year older than you I suppose." Kim said to Tammi in recognition.

"Wait! Sky used to come over to my house when we were younger?"

"Oh, sweetie, he didn't just come over the two of you were inseparable. He never left your side . . . ever. Rocky tried to separate the two of you once, wanted to put you in time out for something I think. You balled like crazy, and that little boy kicked Rocky in the shin! No one ever tried to separate the two of you again. But after your mom, and Vivian's husband disappeared she stopped coming over. I guess playing cards wasn't the same if it was one on one."

She just stared at them in shock. She and Sky Tate used to be best friends! Why didn't she remember that? Suddenly things between her and Sky just got a lot more interesting.

* * *

The ride back from the party was dead silent. That kiss was still fresh on both their minds. _What had that been about, anyway?_ Tammi thought as she attempted to focus on the road. This had been an eventful night for her. Befriended Jack, Kissed Jack, and found out that Sky was her long lost best friend. What she wouldn't give for a boring life. 

As the car pulled in the parking garage Jack finally spoke.

"So . . About that kiss . . ."

Tammi parked the car and turned toward him.

"Yeah, what exactly was that?"

"I have no idea." He said honestly as silence over came them again.

"So what do we do now?"

"Now, we try the friendship thing and see what happens . . ."

"Okay, but what do we do about the kiss? Do we act like it never happened or do we accept it and move on?" She asked as she turned back around to face the wind shield.

"I don't know . . . I don't want to obsess about it, but at the same time I don't know if want to forget it either." He said in a bewildered tone.

"Yeah . . ." Tammi said for lack of anything better to say.

"How about we don't tell anyone about it, but we don't deny it either?"

"Sounds good to me."

"So, you game to try the friendship thing too?"

"Sure." She said with a nod.

"Should we shake on it?" He asked with a grin.

"Nah, how about some hot chocolate instead?" She asked with a wink as they got out of the car

* * *

It was a little before 7 P.M. on Christmas Eve as Tammi and Jack stood outside of headquarters waiting on Sky to pull up. 

"Oh! I almost forgot!" Tammi said as she pulled a thin box out of her purse and handed it to Jack, "Merry Christmas. Go ahead, open it."

He carefully pulled the ribbon off of the box and lifted the lid.

"Are you freaking kidding me?" He yelled in shock, "These are autographed Trent Fernandez comics!"

"Actually they're rough drafts." She corrected him with a smile.

"Rough drafts? As in the comic they put together before they edited it?" He asked with wide eyes.

She laughed and nodded her head.

"Why in the world did I ever hate you?" He asked as he practically tackled her with a hug. She laughed.

"I'm glad you like them."

"Like them? I LOVE them!"

"Yeah, well, he was supposed to be at the party last night, but he had to make an emergency trip to L.A. He said something about one of his illustrators screwing up a page or something. I don't exactly remember."

Jack froze, "You KNOW Trent Fernandez?"

"Well, yeah, he was the White Dino Thunder Ranger."

"DAMN! Hanging out with you is gonna be AWESOME!" He said enthusiastically, "oh, I have something for you too! Stay right there!"

She watched as Jack ran inside the building, practically bouncing the entire way. He came back with a square box in his hands.

"Now don't get too excited it's no where near as great as what you got me, but well, I did some research into your dad's background and, you know what . . . here." He said as he abruptly stopped the explanation and handed her the box. She gave him an odd look and tore into the package.

She smiled as she pulled out the object by the gold thread coming out of the top. It was an antique Christmas ornament of the Blue Zeo Ranger. She put a hand to her mouth as her eyes began to water.

"I saw it in a vintage toy store the other day, and couldn't resist . . ."

Tammi interrupted him with a huge, tight hug.

"Jack, this is amazing. It's the most thoughtful gift I've ever gotten. Thank you." She said softly with a huge smile.

"It was nothing, really" He said bashfully in return. Suddenly someone cleared their throat. They both instantly pulled apart to see Sky leaning against his car with his left eyebrow arched.

"Sorry to interrupt." He said darkly, "Do you have all your stuff, Tammi?"

"Yeah," She said as she cleared her throat and motioned to her duffel bag that was lying on the sidewalk, "It's all in here."

Jack reached down to pick it up, but Sky stopped him.

"I got it." He said rudely as he jerked the bag up off the sidewalk and threw it into the back seat of his convertible.

"I'll, umm, see you later, Tammi" Jack said as he walked back inside.

"Bye Jack." She called after him.

"So, been making new friends have we?" Sky asked her as he once again leaning back against his car.

"Well, I figured it was better than being at each other's throats all the time." She told him with a shrug, "What's your problem anyway?"

"Nothing, it just seems like you two patched things up pretty quickly." Sky mumbled bitterly, "Come on let's go."

He opened his door and sat down in the driver's seat. Tammi rolled her eyes and threw a box down in his lap.

"Merry Christmas, Jackass." She said as she walked around and sat in the passenger seat making sure to angle her body as far away from him as possible.

* * *

**TA DA! Chapter Nine! I hope you guys like it! I think I like Tammi's character best when she's pissed off, lol.**

**Read and review! **

**Angellwings**

**P.S.- thanks to my faithful reviewers! And don't forget to vote for me at the Hope For The World Awards! The link is in my profile.**


	10. Maybe the Dingo Ate Your Baby

The Return

Chapter Ten: Maybe the Dingo Ate Your Baby

By angellwings

Neither of them had said a word the entire trip to Sky's house, and once they reached it Sky stomped out of the car, slammed the door, and jerked Tammi's bag out of the back seat. He practically tore the door off getting it open.

This did not make Tammi want to apologize. What was he so upset about in the first place? It had started when she hugged Jack, but why? She hadn't done anything wrong so he had no reason to be angry. But he was, and he had been very rude to Jack. It was inexcusable.

When they arrived inside the house he mumbled an introduction between Tammi and Vivian Tate, threw Tammi's bag into her room, and then stalked off to shut himself up in his room. She glared after him. He had some nerve to be upset with her. She had done nothing wrong while he had done just about everything wrong.

Mrs. Tate walked Tammi to the guest room. She made polite conversation the whole way as if the fuming Sky Tate had never set foot in her house.

"If you don't mind me asking, what happened between you and Sky?" She asked as she leaned against the door frame and watched Tammi unpack her grooming supplies.

"He was rude to me and to one of the other rangers right before we left. But other than that I have no idea, and no offense but sometimes your son can be a jerk." Tammi said in a huff.

"Believe me, dear, I know. I raised him after all." Mrs. Tate said with a grin, "Which one of the other rangers was it? It wasn't Jack Landors by any chance?"

"Of course, who else?" Tammi asked sarcastically.

"From what I understand you and Jack aren't exactly best friends either."

"Well, we sort of made amends over the last few days." She said with a smile, "He's not the complete moron I thought he was."

"What exactly happened? You wouldn't mind telling me the whole story would you?"

"Well, no. I mean there's not much to tell really. Sky drove up right after Jack gave me a Christmas present. We were hugging, and then Sky cocked an attitude. Jack left not long after that, and then he practically ordered me to get in the car . . . the ass. OOOPS, sorry I didn't mean to-" Tammi said with a grimace. She was talking trash about Sky . . . to his mother. Big no-no.

"No, it's okay, believe me when I say I've heard before. Besides I can tell you don't really mean it." She said with a comforting smile, and a light chuckle.

"Anyway, we haven't said a word to each other since." Tammi stated slightly flustered from her last sentence.

"I see . . ." and she really did too. The frustration she had seen on her son's face, and the story all fit. Her little boy was in love. Vivian Tate grinned wickedly.

"I'm going to go see if I can talk some sense in to him, it is very nice to meet you Tammi."

"From what I hear this isn't the first time you've met me." Tammi said cautiously.

"Your father told you about the card games then?" She asked with a reminiscent smile.

"No, my aunts did. They also said Sky and I used to be best friends . . . is that true?"

"Yes, very true. He protected you from Brandon's ridicule. Your brother used to be so mean to you, and Sky used to hate him for it. They're the same age you know. I originally brought Sky over to play with Brandon, but instead he became rather attached to you. It was quite adorable actually."

Tammi smiled brightly, "I certainly could have used him for the rest of my childhood then. Brandon kept picking on me until I joined up with SPD."

"You two would have made quite a team, I'm sure."

"I'm sorry you and my father had to stop playing cards." Tammi said gently as if trying to say something else. She was trying to express her condolences about Sky's father, but in a discreet way.

"So am I." Mrs. Tate said with a meaningful glance, "You're mother was quite the monster when it came to card games. Very competitive. She made every game very interesting."

"Dad always said I inherited her competitive side . . ."

"You've inherited your father's persuasive side too. In fact, I would say you are the perfect combination of both your parents."

"Really?" Tammi asked with a small smile, "No one ever compares me to dad. They always tell me how similar I am to mom, but never to dad."

"Well, you do look more like your mother, except the eyes. You have your father's eyes. They are a warm chocolate brown just like his. I think you are the only red head with brown eyes." She said fondly, "Well I should go speak to my son before he tears another whole in the wall."

"Good luck" Tammi said to her as she left the room. She immediately liked Sky's mother. She was so wonderful.

Tammi examined her appearance in the mirror. She had her hair back in it's usual tight bun. She pulled it up out of habit, and she wore no make up. She cocked her head to the side, and bit her bottom lip. Should she maybe fix up a little?

No, she doesn't need to. It's only Sky. After all, the guy has seen her nose when it was swollen and red, and her eyes all bloodshot. He doesn't care what she looks like. But still . . .

For some unknown reason she wanted to. She wanted to impress Sky and his family. She sighed and pulled down her bun. _I guess I better get to work, _she thought as she picked up her hairbrush and ran it through her hair.

* * *

"Sky, honey, can I come in?" Vivian called to the closed door. 

The door cracked open, and Vivian walked in.

"Hey, mom." Sky said grumpily from his bed.

"Hey, sweetie, I just talked to Tammi. Want to tell me what's wrong?" She asked gently.

"There is nothing wrong, mom."

"Sky, I raised you, I think I know when something is bothering you."

He groaned in annoyance at her stern tone. She would never leave him alone now.

"It's about her isn't it?" She asked, "It's about Tammi. You like her."

"Mom, Tammi and I are just friends."

"That doesn't mean you don't wish you were more." She said with a grin. "Now it sounds to me like you're jealous of Jack, and from what I can tell you have no reason to be."

"How do you know? How do you know he's not going to grab her right out from under my nose?" Sky asked heatedly.

"You're just going to have to have faith and trust. And so what if he tries? You fight for her! You do not let him take her from you. You did enough of that when you were little. I don't see why you can't do that now."

"I did-what?" He said in a confused tone, "Mom, I only met Tammi a few months ago."

"No you didn't. I suppose you were too young to remember, but you and Tammi used to do almost everything together. In your five year old mind you were her protecter, and if she wasn't around then you couldn't protect her so she was always around. Not even the jaws of life could separate you two. Rocky tried to put Tammi in time out once while we were over and you kicked him. You kicked him hard too. You're father was so proud. I could tell it took all of his strength not to say 'that's my boy.' But seeing as how you had kicked his commanding officer he didn't think that was appropriate."

"I kicked Commander DeSantos?" Sky asked his mother in horror.

"Yes, well you were only five. The title Commander meant nothing to you then." She said with a chuckle, "You know Rhee and I predicted the two of you would end up together. You were so stuck to each other it seemed to be the natural conclusion."

"What happened?" Sky asked curiously.

"Your father and Rhee disappeared in battle, and Rocky and I thought it was two painful to be around each other. They were too many memories. You were heartbroken. Looking back it probably was the worst decision I ever made. Not only had you lost your father, but your best friend too." She said sadly, "I'm sorry Sky."

"Mom, you have nothing to be sorry for, I'm fine. See?" He said he stood up to hug her, "I'm here, and I've got Tammi back again. Somewhat."

"Yes, Tammi did seem to be hiding something when we spoke."

"It's probably about what happened on Grumm's ship. She still hasn't told anyone. I've stopped asking. It only makes her angry with me." Sky said as he ran a hand through his hair, "What am I going to do. I seriously messed up. I can't believe I went off on her and Jack over a stupid hug."

"Things will be fine. I think she has forgiven you already, for the most part. Just apologize, that's all you have to do." Vivian told him with a smile, as she left the room she thought back to Sky's words about Grumm, he knew something about what had happened. She wanted to get it out of him, but quickly decided against it. It wasn't her place. Tammi and Sky would sort that out on their own.

When she and Sky reached the living room it seemed that Sky's sister, Courtney, had gotten a hold of Tammi, and wouldn't let go. Her fiancé, Stephen, was sitting beside her on the couch as Courtney told Tammi in detail about all of the endearing characteristics of her husband-to-be.

"He can't even make toast, poor baby."

"Maybe the dingo ate your baby." Tammi said with a fake smile and an Australian accent. This better work. It had shut that lady up on _Seinfeld_. So maybe it would shut Sky's sister up as well.

"What?" She asked in confusion as Stephen put a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing.

"Maybe the dingo ate your baby." She clarified speaking in a louder tone.

"Umm, right, Stephen let's go check on dessert . . ." Courtney said as she dragged her fiancé into the kitchen. Tammi smiled victoriously to her self as she watched her retreat. When she left she heard two people laughing hysterically behind her. She turned to see Sky and his mother clutching their sides in laughter.

"I'm sorry, I really am, but I just couldn't take it anymore!" Tammi cried desperately as Sky and Vivian calmed down.

"No really, it's okay. Someone would have done it sooner or later." Mrs. Tate said with a grin as she too went to the kitchen.

"Big fan of _Seinfeld_, I take it?" Sky asked with an arched eyebrow and a grin.

"No, but dad was."

"What has Kat told you about using the word 'was'?" Sky scolded her lightly.

"I know, until we find their bodies I'm not allowed to refer to anyone in the past tense, I got it already." She said with a hostile edge to her voice.

"Look, Tammi, about earlier . . . I'm sorry. You were right; I was a complete and utter jackass."

"I didn't make it any easier, did I?" She asked him apologetically.

"You never make anything easier." He said with a chuckle and a smirk.

"You know I am in a frame of mind to lock my self in my room for the rest of the weekend if you insult me one more time." She said with a playful glare.

"That won't happen because I won't let you." He told her his smirk never faltering.

"And how are you going to stop me?" She challenged him with a bored expression on her face.

"Like this." He said as he picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder and on to the couch.

She scoffed, "That will never work, I'm too quick for you."

"You weren't quick enough then."

"That's because I let you. I purposefully did not move."

"Uh huh."

"You don't believe me, then try again."

"Okay," he said as he reached for her. She immediately turned and ran the other direction, "Where do you think you're going?"

His hand finally grabbed her across the midsection and hoisted her on to his shoulder.

"Okay, alright, I'm not quite that quick." She admitted lamely before he could drop her on the couch again.

He smiled in satisfaction and put her back on the ground.

"Did you open your present?" She asked him as they both situated themselves on the couch.

"Considering you only gave it to me out of anger I was sort of scared to." He told her truthfully.

"Well, I'm not mad at you now, go and get it!" She told him excitedly.

"Okay, alright, calm down. I think you've been hanging out with Syd too much."

"Just go." She told him with a smile.

He walked down the hallway and grabbed the tall square box off of his bed, and then quickly made his way back to the living room.

He began unwrapping as he sat down. He couldn't help but stare at the shield shaped object in his hands.

"This is . . ."

"Your father's old morpher. I found it in a box of dad's stuff in his office. I don't think he would mind you having it."

He nodded, "Did you find your mother's?"

"Yeah, I did. I had a display case made for it and put it on the mantle. I have one at the base for you too. Thought you might want to put that beside of the picture on your nightstand." She told him with a soft smile.

"Thank you." He whispered to her as he wrapped his arms around her in a hug.

"Merry Christmas, Sky." She told him as they pulled a part. "So where's my present?"

He laughed at her change in mood, "In my room, but you don't get to open it until tomorrow."

"But that is cruel and unusual punishment, Schuyler Tate! This is my first real Christmas in five years. You don't really want to keep me in suspense do you?" She asked innocently with a slight pout.

"You really need to stop hanging out with Syd." He said with a chuckle, "Besides since this _is_ 'your first real Christmas in five years', I thought you might want to do it properly."

"That is evil, you are evil." She said as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"And yet you are still my friend."

"I'm just paying you back for all those times you protected me from Brandon." She told him with a grin.

"What? You mean when we were younger? I protected you from your brother?" He asked in shock.

"Didn't your mother tell you?"

"She told me I protected you, but not who I protected you from."

"Yep, you kept Brandon from picking on me. So this friendship of ours is just payback." She told him with a wink.

"Well, what happened after we stopped being friends?" He asked her in curiosity.

"He continued to pick on me until I joined SPD, I guess, because that's about all I remember him doing for most of my life. He used to call me Dragon Breath, remember? I certainly could have used having you around." She told him with a grin. He smiled and nodded.

"So, what happened with you and Jack?" He asked carefully. He didn't want to seem jealous, but he really wanted to know.

"Well, we made a deal to try and be friends, that's all really." She said with a shrug. _Oh, Sky don't hate me for lying to you_, she thought to herself nervously.

"Oh, yeah? So what did you guys do?" He asked casually.

"Hung out, and . . ." She hesitated, pondering whether or not to tell him about the Christmas party. "Went to Dr. O's party."

"Wait, together?" He asked suspisciously.

"Well, yeah, I mean I didn't want to go alone, and well, he offered." She stated simply as if it were nothing.

"You wouldn't have been alone, Bridge and Michelle were there."

"Sky, repeat that sentence to yourself and then tell me what's wrong with it." She said with a grin.

"Well, I would have gone with you. All you had to do was ask me." He said as he felt the jealousy flaring back up. _Don't go off, Sky, you blew it once. Don't do it again._ He thought to himself as he tried to calm down.

"You were at your grandmother's." She said to him with a small smile.

"I would've found a way out of it."

"Sky would you listen to yourself? You would really ditch your grandmother for a lame Christmas party at a paleontologist's house? And even if you offered I wouldn't have let you. It's your grandmother for crying out loud." She told him with that same gentle smile.

"Alright, alright, I get it." He said. Maybe he was just looking too much into things. "So, how was it?"

"It was fine. Crowded, but boring as usual. Jack did help me get Michael off my back though. So, the party did have a useful purpose."

Sky didn't even want to know how that happened. It could only result in jealousy and anger. "Oh, I bet that's a relief for you, then."

"Yeah, a pretty big one."

Sky sighed gratefully as his mother came and told them dinner was ready.

* * *

Sky smiled as he watched Tammi's sleeping form. She had the comforter pulled all the way up to her chin. His mother had sent him to wake her for Christmas breakfast, and he was glad she did. 

"Tammi," He called softly as he knelt down beside her bed.

"hmm?" She mumbled groggily.

"Breakfast is ready, time to get up."

She yawned, "Okay, I'm coming."

She reached her arms above her covers and stretched. She'd completely forgotten she was wearing a spaghetti strap tank top. The scars that ran down the length of her upper arms were blatantly shown to Sky. She froze as she caught sight of her arm in her peripheral vision.

"It's okay, Tammi. I've seen them before." He said from beside the bed.

"When?" she asked in a panic she had gone to extreme measures to cover them up. She made sure no one saw.

"After you arrived. The arm of your uniform was torn. I didn't say anything because I thought you might come around and talk to someone about it, but you never did."

"And I'm not going to."

"Tammi, you have to talk to someone about this." He said with obvious concern.

"No way, not gonna happen. I am not rehashing that again. I don't care how 'therapeutic' it's supposed to be." She said stubbornly.

"You can't let it eat you up, Tammi. Please, at least talk to me about it." He begged.

"I . . . Sky you don't want to know."

"Yes, I do, tell me." He said locking gazes with her. She hesitated, but eventually began to tell him.

"It was torture. They wanted inside information about SPD. How to infiltrate and take it down from the inside. I never told them anything. So, Mora gave me these." She said bitterly with a motion to her arm, "Grumm said it was practice for when she got to use pen and paper. They kept me seperate from the rest of B-squad. I never found out what happened to them."

"How did you escape?" Sky asked as he sat on the edge of the mattress, and attempted to drape a comforting arm around her shoulders. She winced and jerked away.

"Nothing personal, I don't like people touching them. It reminds me that they're there."

"I understand." Sky said with a nod as he kept his gaze on hers and withdrew his arm.

"I snapped, I couldn't take it anymore. They pulled me out of my cell for more 'questioning', and I bolted. It was a slaughter SPD Cadet Style. My father said that there is something inside all us ranger kids, a genetic flaw, that makes us loose control under extreme circumstances. The military studied all of us when I was about nine. They wanted to create the ultimate soldier. My father's hated the government ever since." She said sadly before she snapped back in to her tale, "Every emergency battle tactic I know was used against the Troobians. I had no weapons so it was strictly hand-to-hand combat and my flames. I made it to my old jet in Psycho Ranger mode, and flew home."

"I'm sorry, Tammi." Sky told her sympathetically, "If I ever get my hands on Grumm, I'll . . ."

"Walk away, and let Crugar take care of him." She interrupted.

"What?" He asked in shock.

"How do you think he got a hold of the original B-quad? We fought him, and lost. We let our anger get the best of us." She told him sternly, "Besides it's really Crugar's fight anyway. Grumm did destroy his entire race."

"But after all you went through; don't you want to take even a little chunk out of him?" Sky asked in disbelief.

"I want him destroyed, and away from me, but I don't need to be the one who destroys him." She said as she rested her head on Sky's shoulder, "I just want all of this to go away, and I want things back the way they were. I want my dad, my brother, and my team back."

Sky looked down at her a glimmer of hurt flashing across his eyes, "Do you consider us your team?"

She though about it for a few minutes, and considered her answer carefully, "Yeah, I do, but in a different capacity than my old squad. With you guys I'm a member of the team, and someone else is responsible for what happens to me. With them I'm the leader. I look out for and protect them, or at least I'm supposed to. With all of you I feel like a soldier not a babysitter."

"Sounds like we're the better deal then, huh?" He asked with a grin.

"Sometimes." She said with as the corners of her mouth turned upward.

"Come on you two, breakfast." Vivian said as she stopped at the door. Tammi quickly pulled the sheet around her arms to keep Mrs. Tate from seeing. She hated to admit it, but knowing that Sky knew made things feel a whole lot better. Relief swept over her, and smile came to her face.

"We're on our way." She said as Mrs. Tate walked off.

Sky took off his SPD sweatshirt and handed it to her, "Here, wear this."

She slipped it on and got out of bed, "Thanks Sky and I don't just mean for the sweatshirt."

With that she gave him a kiss on the cheek and left the room.

"You're welcome." He mumbled after her in shock.

* * *

After breakfast the Tate family, herself, and Stephen gathered around the Christmas tree. She sat down on the floor beside Sky, and across from Courtney. 

"Oh, Courtney, by the way, I'm sorry about what I said yesterday. I hope you didn't think I was being rude." She said with a smile.

"I just thought you were a little off your rocker, that's all. Until Stephen told me why you said it, and I'm sorry if I talked about it a little too much." She said sheepishly.

"Don't worry about it." Tammi said with a chuckle.

"Okay, time to pass out the presents!" Sky's mother said jovially as she reached for the gifts placed neatly under the tree. By the time they were done Sky and Courtney had about eight boxes each, Mrs. Tate had about twelve, and Stephen and herself had three. She was surprised she even had that many. She felt bad for not having bought anything for Mrs. Tate or Courtney, but they assured her not to worry about it. Still, she planned on getting them something when she got home.

Sky and Courtney insisted Vivian open hers first which she gleefully did. As glad as Tammi was to be a part of this, it made her heart ache for her own family. She wanted to hear her brother's goofy and horrible jokes. She wanted to watch her father attempt to eat the entire Christmas Turkey by himself. She wanted to decorate the Christmas tree with her mother again. She shook her head.

She had to face the fact that those things may never happen again. She needed to enjoy the new family she had made for herself in New Tech City.

She was brought back to reality as Sky and Courtney tore into their presents. She watched them both with a smile, but watched Sky with particular interest. He seemed so different here. He was much more relaxed, and carefree. The rules and regulations went out the window when he was here. She wanted to see this side of him more often.

"Tammi," Courtney called, "You and Stephen get to open yours now."

"Oh right," she said as she reached for a present which was quickly stolen from her by Sky.

"This one is being saved for last." He told her with a grin.

"First you make me wait till this morning and now I have to open it last! That's just mean!"

"Yeah, well it's my house, my rules."

She stuck her tongue out at him, and reached for another present. It was from Courtney. It was a beautiful stained glass candle.

"Oh, wow, this is gorgeous, thanks Courtney." She said as she gave the young woman a small hug.

The next present was of course from Mrs. Tate. It was a strand of pearls.

"They were your mother's. They were my something borrowed at my wedding, but when the wedding was over she told me to keep them. I thought you might enjoy them. I never get a chance to wear them myself."

"Mrs. Tate, I can't take these . . . she gave them to you, I'm sure . . ."

"She would want you to have them. I know she would." Vivian interupted her with a warm smile.

"Thank you." She whispered as she gave her a tight hug.

"My pleasure, sweetie."

"Okay, my turn." Sky said anxiously as he handed her the present.

"I don't know, I might just save this one and open it later." She said with an evil smirk.

"Oh, come on . . . please, open it now." He said with mock irritation.

She laughed and began unwrapping it. Her eyes went wide, "No way . . ."

"I found it in my closet, I can only guess when and who I got it from."

It was her old teddy bear, the one she had been given at the hospital. It was dusty, but still just as she'd remembered it. The fur was chestnut brown, and it was wearing an orange bib with her initials on it. One of it's eyes and it's ears were missing from when Brandon had held it hostage over the garbage disposal, but it was still obviously a bear.

"I thought I had lost this thing. I can't believe it." She said in disbelief, "but if you just found out yesterday about the card games then how did you know it was mine?"

"Hard to explain really, it was just a feeling I had. I had this picture in my head of a little boy holding it over a garbage disposal and a little red-headed girl sobbing." He told her with a smirk, "And somehow, I knew it was you. But keep looking there's more."

She dug a little deeper in the box, and pulled out a picture frame. It was of the original SPD A-squad. Her mother and Sky's father were in their patrol uniforms along with the other rangers and her father who was in his Commander garb. They all looked so young, and happy. They were unaware of everything that was going to happen to them.

"As far as I can tell it was taken on SPD's inaugural day. They kind of remind you of us don't they?" He asked her with a small smile. She beamed at him.

"You're amazing you know that?" She asked him.

"I am pretty great aren't I?" He asked her with a grin and a wiggle of his eyebrows. She rolled her eyes and threw her arms around his neck in a tight hug.

"Why am I friends with you again?" She asked into his ear.

"You're in my debt for all those times, I saved yours and Chester's lives remember?" He asked as he referred to the bear.

"How did you know his name?" She asked as she pulled back.

"I don't know. I guess I haven't completely forgotten everything." He stated with a confused shrug.

"This was so great, thank you." She told him with a smile, "I don't think Christmas would have been this much fun with out you."

"I gotta say, I agree with you. This is the best Christmas I've had in a while, too." He told her seriously with a smile.

"Well, maybe it will be the first in a long line of Christmases together." She said hopefully with an assuring nod.

_Definitely_, Sky thought to him self as he watched her circle the room with a few more 'thank you's to his mother and his sister, _If I have anything to say about it, it will be._

* * *

**Chapter Ten is complete!**

**Thanks to Perndragonrider, Blue Eyed Dragon Girl, and garnetred for their faithful reviews! You guys always brighten my day! Thanks for reviewing!**

**Read and Review!**

**angellwings**

**BTW I need to retract something I put in author notes on an earlier chapter. I said Tammi was 21. I'm changing that. She's 20. and Sky is 21. I forgot that I had made them the same age in like chapter 3 or something, but they're not. to be honest I have never really thought of them as being the same age. I don't know why I put that. lol, well enjoy!**


	11. Who Needs Logic?

**The Return**

**Chapter Eleven: Who Needs Logic?**

By angellwings

Tammi glanced around her living room and grinned. How had her apartment become the place to hang out?

It seemed that when everyone came back from the holidays two weeks ago Jack felt comfortable bringing Z with him to pick up something he absentmindedly left in her apartment. Then of course Z went raving on and on about how great the space was, and by Friday of that week Syd was begging to come over.

And now, two weeks later, the cadets seemed to be in her apartment non-stop.

Tammi shook her head as she watched Jack try to eat an entire bucket of fried chicken. That had to be a red ranger thing. Her father and her uncle Jason had tried to do that several times (her father was the only one to succeed.)

If someone had told her before the holidays that she was going to be close friends with Jack Landors she would have laughed in their faces, but now it seemed natural that they would hang out so much. But she had this strange feeling that he wanted a little bit more from her, and she had no idea what to think of that.

Sky still hadn't found out about the kiss, thank God. She was afraid of how he would react. If he reacted so strongly to seeing them hug then she had no intention of telling him they kissed.

Sky. Now there was an interesting relationship. She didn't understand half of the things that went through her head when she thought about him. Lately, it had all been so confusing. Ever since Christmas there had been something happening when she thought about him. This warm affectionate feeling just completely took over. What did it mean? Did she like him? _No, no that's ridiculous_, she thought, _after all, Jack is the one that I kissed. I should like him, do I like him?_

She sighed inwardly as she watched Sky pour over the handbook for the trillionth time. Jack had said something to her during the holidays that she just couldn't help but replay over and over.

"_I'm sure there's a logical explanation. There always is where Sky is concerned." _

It was a correct statement of course, but at Christmas he had seemed so different. She wondered which one was the real Sky Tate. Originally she had hoped that he would bring some of that personality back to headquarters, but he didn't. He was still her best friend of course, but was that all he was? Was that all he wanted? It had to be because Sky is a logical man, and logically ruining their friendship would be catastrophic.

_What am I doing I don't like him like that, remember?_, she reminded herself and tore her eyes away from Sky, _Who am I kidding? I'm crazy about him. I know it deep inside, but I've got to admit it to myself. I am head over heels for Sky. But the question is does he want it? _

That was the ultimate question. Did he want her? Did he even want a relationship at all? She was pretty sure even if he did feel the same that she would be the last one to know. If she ever found out at all, that is.

No, it would never happen, and she needed to shake this off and move on.

A feeling of realization and disappointment washed over her. Sky would never make a move, she knew him, and he would never do anything about it.

She felt the couch jiggle slightly and looked to her right. There was Jack licking his greasy KFC fingers. She grinned at him, and shook her head.

"Hey, are you okay?" He asked her quietly.

"Yeah I'm fine." She answered softly with a small smile.

"Hey, umm, what are you doing tonight?" He asked her quietly.

"Why?" She asked suspiciously.

"Well, I thought we would go see a movie or something."

"Just us? Like a date?" Tammi asked with merged eyebrows.

"Well, yeah. I mean only if you want to. I can always invite Z or Sky along." He said hurriedly.

"Sky wouldn't go." She mumbled to herself.

"Huh?" Jack asked trying to understand what she just said.

"Nothing. Umm, sure I'd love to go." She said with a smile. If she couldn't have Sky, then she could at least give the next best thing a try, right?

"Cool," He said with a bright smile, "I'll pick you up at seven."

"Okay, sounds good."

"Okay, guys, let's go. It's time to start morning patrol." Jackannounced as he assumed his leader voice.

Morning patrols were always the same. Syd and Bridge would take the west side, She and Sky would take east, Jack and Z took north, and Sam took south. Most of the time all sections were clear in the mornings, it was the afternoon and the evening you had to worry about.

She could hear Michelle whining in the corner, asking Bridge to stay just a few more minutes.

"Okay, every body out of my house now." She said loud enough for Michelle to get the message.

"Alright, alright, I'm going already, geez." Michelle said holding up her hand in surrender. Tammi sighed and caught up with Jack.

"They are so cute," Michelle said to Bridge, "Trying to be all covert about their relationship. Did you see them whispering?"

"What?" Sky asked as he turned to face Michelle, "What relationship?"

"Well, I just assumed they were dating. I mean she brought him to the party right?"

"Only because she had no one else to take her." Sky said defensively.

"Oh, right and I bet she only made out with him because she had no one else to make out with too, right?" Michelle asked sarcastically before she got a sense of the jealousy radiating off of Sky, "Oh, you like her don't you?"

"What, no. No. She is just a friend."

"Sky, I'm an empath. I can feel the jealousy you're feeling."

Bridge took off a glove and waved a hand in front of Sky, "Wow, Sky who knew. You and Tammi. Hey, you know I could see that. Of course, I can see her and Jack too. Actually if you think about it I can see her with any one, but not _see_ her with everyone, Just you and Jack really, but more so . . ."

"Bridge, sweetheart, now is not the time." Michelle said with an amused grin.

"Oh, right." He said as he slipped his glove back on.

"Sky, if you like her why don't you do something about it?" Michelle asked him curiously.

"What if she doesn't feel the same way?" Sky asked quietly. He had tried a thousand times since Christmas to tell her, but each time that one thought over came everything.

"Tammi, wouldn't throw away your friendship just because you fell for her." Bridge said.

"She sure didn't hold on to her friendship with Michael." Sky said bitterly.

"Trust me, Sky," Michelle said exasperatedly, "Michael was a lost cause. She tried, but he wouldn't have it. If he couldn't have a relationship he didn't want anything. He told me that himself."

"Besides if you don't do something soon, someone else will." Bridge said as he motioned to Jack and Tammi at the front of the group.

Tammi turned to face him with a smile, "Come on, slow mo, let's go."

"Yeah, okay, I'm coming." He told her with a nod, "Thanks guys."

"No problem Sky, Just do yourself a favor and don't blow up at her about the kissing Jack thing. It won't help your cause in anyway what so ever." Michelle warned him.

"Easier said than done." Sky mumbled as he walked toward her and their bikes.

"So, you ready for another exciting patrol?" She asked him sarcastically as they approached their SPD motorcycles.

Sky didn't answer. He kept his gaze fixed on the ground. _She kissed Jack? What does that mean?_

"Sky? Are you alright?" She asked him with concern, "Hello? Command Center to Sky."

"Why didn't you tell me you kissed Jack?" He asked suddenly as he turned to face her.

"What? How did you . . .?"

"That doesn't matter, you lied to me. You told me nothing happened at that party."

"It wasn't like that Sky. He was helping me scare off Michael." She said defensively.

"Oh yeah, I'm sure that was all Jack was after. He was just being nice, right?" He asked scathingly.

"Are you kidding me? And besides why does it matter to you? It's not like you and I are anything." She snapped at him, "You should be happy that I found a nice guy."

"So what? Are you gonna start dating him now?" He said in a raised voice.

"As a matter of fact I am. I don't know what your problem with him is, but get over it already. He is a great guy, and a pretty good ranger." She yelled as she narrowed her eyes at him.

"I can't believe this. When did this happen?" He asked half in anger and half in shock. This is exactly what he feared would happen.

"You know what Sky, just don't talk to me. I've had enough of whatever it is that is stuck up your butt." She said as she got on her Patrol cycle, "I think we should split up for today. I'll take the southeast side."

And with that she started her bike and sped off.

_Damn, _Sky silently cursed himself_, Why do I do that? I can't keep blowing up at her every time I get a little jealous._

He sighed and started his own bike.

* * *

An hour and forty-five minutes later Tammi pulled back into the vehicle parking garage, and ripped off her helmet. She was so angry, and she couldn't help it. Sky had a habit of making her that way.

Why couldn't that boy just be happy for her for once? What was his problem? It's not like he had feelings for her.

Wait, did he? No, he couldn't, could he? She had already been through this once. Sky had no feelings for her, and even if he did he would never do anything about them. That's the end of it.

She stomped silently through the hallways heading for the command center. The doors slid open, and just as she marched in Sky's voice could be heard over the communications systems.

"Sky Tate reporting in. All quiet in sector 12, I'm heading back to base."

A loud explosion was heard in the background unexpectedly.

"Kat . . ."

"I've already sent R.I.C. after him, Commander." She interrupted as if knowing what he was thinking.

"Send me after him sir." Tammi said urgently. Sky had been ambushed and she needed to get to him.

"Aren't you supposed to be with him, Cadet?" The Commander asked sternly.

"Yes, sir." She said as she straightened up.

"And why aren't you?" Kat asked her with shock. Tammi and Sky rarely if ever disobeyed orders.

"Does it matter? I disobeyed a direct order and SPD regulation." She said with a tinge of shame, "Just send me after him, please."

"You will remain at the base until further notice, Cadet. Report back to your quarters." Crugar answered through a snarl.

"Yes Sir," She answered with a lackluster salute as she left the Command Center.

This was all her fault. She let her anger outweigh her duty as a friend and a cadet. The sole purpose of going out in pairs was to prevent these kinds of situations. She quickly made her way to her apartment. She was anxious to lock her self inside, and let out her frustrations in private.

* * *

Within the next hour Boom contacted her and told her that Bridge, Syd, and Sky had all been sent to the infirmary for mending, observation, and bed rest. Commander Crugar called all the rangers back to the base immediately, and had called Sam and Tammi to the Command Center in the meantime.

"Sir, I would like to try and draw Icthior out." Sam respectfully suggested.

"I don't think that is a wise decision, Sam."

"But, Doggie, we've got to do something." Kat told him urgently, "It's the best idea we've got."

"If Sam is going to be bait I'm going with him." Tammi said with fierce determination.

"I'm afraid not, Cadet. I'm not going to risk two of my rangers."

"But sir . . ."

"You'll stay at the base, Tammi." Crugar's stern voice commanded

"Yes, sir." She mumbled angrily as she stormed out of the Command Center.

She heard small and light footsteps behind her.

"What do you need, Kat?" Tammi asked as she paused for her to catch up.

"I understand that you're upset about this, but don't . . ."

"Upset? This is another catastrophe that is all my fault. I shouldn't have let my anger cloud my better judgement. Sky was injured because I wasn't there to help." Tammi ranted as if saying it to herself.

"I understand that, but you can't assume your presence or your actions could change every situation. Please, just don't do anything rash." Kat begged her as she returned to the Command Center.

A few minutes later Tammi watched as Sam left the base. She narrowed her eyes, and left the room. _Don't do it, Tammi. You have already disobeyed so many regulations._

She sighed and headed for the infirmary. She needed to talk to Sky or Syd, but mostly Sky.

She hated the infirmary wing, it smelled too much like the Supreme Commander's office in the Nebula System. Just the thought of that office made her shutter. She loathed Supreme Commander Birdie. He had it out for her father for some reason, and his last visit proved he had it out for her as well. He had her analyzed by a psychiatrist to try and prove that she was unfit for duty. She hated that man, and at the moment that thought fueled her determination to see Sky even more. But when she reached the room he, Bridge, and Syd were being kept in she saw a nurse leaving the room with a clip board in hand.

"I'm sorry Cadet, but none of them are up for visitors right now. I've just given them a dose of painkillers and they'll be groggy for another half-hour atleast." She said urgently as Tammi approached the door.

"But this is an emergency, I have to ask . . ."

"You won't get an answer or at least a coherent one." The nurse said as she put an arm around Tammi's shoulders, "But maybe I can help you?"

"Umm, no, you can't, but thank you just the same." Tammi said with a defeated sigh. She only had one thing left to do now, and that was . . . follow Sam. He was not bringing down Icthior with out her help. She hopped on her bike and sped off in the direction he did, and caught up with him just as Icthior was about to take him down. With out thinking she hoped off the Bike and shot one of her fireballs at him. It was the first time in five years that she had used her powers in battle so the fireball wasn't packed together quite tight enough. It didn't do much, but it got Icthior away from Omega and that's all that mattered.

The two of them engaged in hand to hand combat; and she began to heat her body. This guy was going to take her 'human torch' state to weaken him, and with everything he'd done she was definitely up for the challenge. With in two more seconds her body was covered from head to toe in flames, and black flame retardant SPD uniform was still whole. She was fairing rather well against him in battle until she was distracted by Sam's appearance suddenly at her side. That's when Icthior blasted her with a direct hit form a continuous stream of cold water. Her weakneses: anything cold, and most things that were liquids.

She collapsed to the ground almost instantly, and the steam began rolling off of her unmorphed form. Icthior made his move and began beating her to a pulp. Afterwards he very quickly defeated Sam and stole both their badges. Crugar came and tried to rescue them, but ended up being beaten himself. Tammi attempted to stand and fight one last time, but was met with another blast of cold water which is when everything went black.

She woke up to see Jack standing at the foot of her bed in the infirmary.

"Hey," He said softly with a smile, "How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been hit with a wall of reinforced steel." She answered wryly as she tried to sit up.

She looked to her right and saw Sky staring at her worriedly from his own infirmary bed.

"Are you okay?" he asked with concerned eyes.

"I'm fine, just a little tired that's all." She told him with a weak smile, "Watch you'll both see that I am totally fine."

She snapped her fingers together to try and make a flame appear on the tip of her finger, but nothing happened. So, she did it again, and again, and again.

"Tammi, it's okay. The doctor said it would take a while for all the water to be flushed out of your system, and until then your powers won't work. They'll only be gone for a couple of weeks at the most." Jack told her as he noticed panic rising to her features.

"A couple of weeks! You've got to be kidding me." Tammi said with exasperation. She knew what would be coming next Crugar would order her to rest for those two weeks or until her powers returned and that was not going to happen.

The doctor walked into the room and that moment and began his diagnosis.

" . . . They've all sustained serious injuries, I'm ordering mandatory bed rest until further notice."

_Mandatory bed rest? figures. dDoesn't anyone realize that just sitting here is killing all of us? We're rangers we fight despite any injury. They should all know that by now._ Tammi thought as she watched Bridge try to get up.

"We'll make sure they stay put." Kat said from her spot beside Crugar as the Doctor left.

"Kat, watch out for these guys, come on Z, we're going after that creep." Jack said as he waved Z toward the door.

"No, that's what he's waiting for. You two are to remain here until I say so." The Commander ordered suddenly, "Understood?"

"But sir we can't just let them . . ." Z began emotionally.

"See, now they know how it feels." Tammi whispered as the Commander ordered them to stay at the base.

"You didn't follow the rules, so do you honestly think they will?" Sky asked her in a whisper.

"No, listen Sky about earlier . . ."

"Tammi, it wasn't your fault. If you would have been there he would have taken you down too. I mean he fought you, Sam, and the Commander and barely got a scratch. So I doubt we could have taken him down alone."

"I know, but I should have been there that's why the commander put us in pairs to begin with. In case problems like that should come up."

"You've got to stop blaming yourself for everything. Besides I was the one who made you angry to begin with. I shouldn't blow up at you like I do. If you want to date Jack then date Jack." Sky said with a tinge of disappointment as he watched Jack and Z storm out of the room.

"I don't get it."

"Get what?"

"You, what's the big deal with me and Jack anyway. I mean I can tell it's not some overprotective brotherly thing, trust me I've lived through plenty of those and that is not the way you're acting. So what is it? What is making you go all psycho at the thought of me and Jack?"

"Landors, Delgado report in . . ." They heard the commanders voice say as he began to sit up, "I should have known, let's go."

"Absolutly not, none of you are in any condition to fight . . ."

"But . ."

"You may be the base commander, but I am the commander in here. So while you're in the infirmary I give the orders, understood?" The doctor said firmly to Crugar.

"Yes sir." He said as he laid back down. Tammi and Sky looked at each other with surprise.

"There is no way that would silence the Commander." Sky mumbled to her as they watched him. As soon as the doctor was out of earshot the Commander sat up once again.

"Let's go, cadets."

"Yes, sir." The four of them chorused with wide grins.

"No, no, stop, where are you going?" Kat asked them all.

"To work." The Commander responded.

"But Dr. Felix said . . ."

"I heard him." Crugar said as he led them out of the infirmary.

"Fine, I'll prep the zords." Kat said in resignation.

* * *

Once they had all come together as a team the battle had been easy. They'd taken down the flunkies and Crugar had confined Icthior. Broodwing got away again, but they would get him sooner or later. They'd been debriefed and informed that someone had stolen hemotech from the New Tech Laboratories. And then Sky had left the room faster than the speed of light. She had wanted to get him to answer her last question, but he seemed to be avoiding her. So, she went up to her apartment to think about some things. She was more confused than ever now. Sky seemed to be very disappointed about her dating Jack, but why? It gave her hope she probably shouldn't have, and made her come to certain realizations.

When Jack arrived at seven she wasn't ready for their date. She needed to talk to him.

"Hey, what's up? I though we were going out?" He asked as he stepped through her door.

"I can't." She told him awkwardly.

"Oh, you have plans?"

"No . . . It wouldn't be fair to you, if we went out." She told him quickly.

"What do you mean?"

"I have started to have feeling for someone else, and I don't think it would be fair to date you when I couldn't give you my all, you know?" She told him gently.

He sighed, and nodded, "It's Sky, right?"

"How did-"

"It's obvious, I sort of suspected it, but I didn't want to admit it to myself." He said dejectedly.

"I'm sorry, Jack, I really am."

"Don't worry about it. I'll be fine. Well, I guess I'd better go." He said as he turned to walk out the door, "I'll see you tomorrow, Tammi."

"Bye, Jack." She said with slight concern as she kissed him on the cheek, "Thanks for understanding."

He nodded and walked away silently with disappointment etched across his face.

"Damn," She said after the door shut, "I think I just made things really awkward between us."

* * *

That's chapter eleven! I hope you liked it! Read and review! 

angellwings


	12. The Wee Small Hours of the Morning

The Return

Chapter 12: The Wee Small Hours of the Morning

by angellwings

Tammi awoke to a pounding on her metal door. She hated metal doors. It was impossible to ignore someone knocking on a metal door because it echoed everywhere you couldn't go anywhere with out hearing it.

"I'm coming!" She snapped as she pulled herself out of the bed, "Yeah, yeah, stop knocking already!"

She violently pressed the entry code into the keypad.

"What!" She snapped as the door opened.

She was met with the amused face of Sky Tate, "Hi."

"Sky, it is three in the morning. What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to tell you that you were right, Crugar doesn't really think that A-squad would have defeated Grumm by now."

"And this couldn't have waited till later because?" She asked with a groggy yawn as she motioned her hand for him to come in.

"Okay, that's not exactly why I came by. You never told me how your date with Jack went, and I have to know. For my own sanity." He said with a sigh as he sat down on the couch.

"It didn't." She answered him simply with a shrug of her shoulders.

"He stood you up?" Sky asked angrily.

"No, actually I kind of stood him up." She said, "He came by to pick me up and I wasn't ready. I told him I didn't feel right about dating him when I had feelings for . . ."

She stopped mid sentence not sure whether or not she should continue.

"Feelings for who?" Sky asked curiously.

"Someone else." She answered carefully. Now was not the best time to be having this conversation. She was too tired to really guard what she said.

"Who is that someone else? Do I know him?" He asked with what bordered curiosity and jealousy.

"Yes, you do, but it doesn't matter he is never going to do anything about it." She said giving him a meaningful glance, "I mean I keep sending him these signals, and it's like he doesn't get them at all."

Sky really did not want to talk about her feelings for some other guy right now.

"Umm, listen I better go. Morning patrol and everything. I'll see you tomorrow." He said as he got up off the couch and headed for the door.

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?" Tammi yelled after him in frustration.

"What?" He asked with surprise, "What did I do?"

"Oh. My. God. You are so clueless! I was talking about you Sky! I didn't go on my date with Jack because I didn't think it would be right when I have major feelings for YOU! You are the guy I was just talking about! I've been sending you signals for weeks, and I've been waiting for you to make a move since Christmas. You NEVER DO!" Tammi ranted as she turned back around and collapsed on her couch.

Sky froze. Did she just really say that or was he hallucinating due to his lack of sleep?

"What did you just say?"

She huffed and got up off the couch. She stormed in his direction and stopped just inches away from his face.

"I said that I have feelings for you! Heck, I might even be in love you! But you keep letting the logical part of your brain take over and keep you from doing anything about the feelings we both know you have! Sometimes you can be so-"

Sky suddenly brought his mouth to hers, and they found themselves in a heated kiss. Her anger seemed to fade almost instantly, and something else took over. It was like an all consuming hunger. Neither could nor wanted to stop. Everything they had ever felt for one another was now out in the open, and Sky wasn't going to waste a minute of it. They reluctantly parted several minutes later.

Tammi gulped and held on to the back of her couch for support, "Woah."

Sky backed up to the wall, and stared directly at Tammi. He was very tempted to go at it again, but used every ounce of his self control instead.

"Did you just- And did we just?" Tammi asked him in shock.

He nodded breathlessly, "Yes, I think we did."

"Well, that was intense," Tammi said locking gazes with him, "Absolutely wonderful, but very intense."

He smiled lazily at her, "Let's just say I've been waiting to do that for quite some time."

"I can tell." She said with a lighthearted chuckle, "So, what do we do now?"

"We go on a date." Sky stated with shock. A part of him still couldn't believe this was happening.

"That would be the natural course of action." She said with a deep breath. She was expecting to wake up any time now.

"So, tonight? Eight o'clock?" He asked her with a grin. Who knew exactly where he was going to take her too.

"Umm, sure. What are we gonna do?"

"I've already got it all planned out." He told her mischievously, "Jeans and a T-shirt should be acceptable attire."

"I'm scared now, what have you got planned in that evil mind of yours?"

"You'll see." He told her wickedly, "Well, I think I'm gonna go get some sleep. Don't forget we've got a date tonight."

"Trust me. I WON'T" She told him with a smile.

He walked toward her and leaned in for another kiss, but she stopped him.

"I might not be able to pull away this time."

He laughed, "Okay, I get the picture. But tonight?"

"We'll see." She told him with a sinful smile as he walked out the door.

* * *

so this is chapter 12. It's supposed to coincide with "Insomnia", and since there was nothing else I felt I could really use in that episode. You get a short, but whopper of a chapter. Enjoy!

angellwings


	13. Renewed Hope

**A/N:** _Before you start reading--_ I know I said this chapter was going to focus on the date, but I started writing it and I realized I didn't have to. I think you can all assume the date would go well to begin with. So I've decided to just have them recap a few of the events to the others. Not the whole thing mind you, but just a few events in passing. I apologize if some of you were looking forward to reading about the date.

P.S. I'm changing some little tiny details in the episode resurection. Not actions really, but little things that you would probably only notice if you watched the episode and read the chapter at the same time.

The Return

Chapter 13: Renewed Hope

by angellwings

"Jack!" Tammi called after him as she followed him down the hallway, "Come on Jack talk to me. You can't avoid me forever."

He ignored her and continued walking, She sighed and jogged to catch up with him.

"Jack, what are you doing? I mean, we're friends aren't we?"

He sighed, "Tammi, of course we're friends. I just need a little time. I mean first things don't work out for you and me, and then things do work out for you and Sky. Despite what you feel, I still have feelings for you, and it's hard to accept. I need some time away from you to figure things out, that's all."

"All right, if that is what you need, then I'll give you that. I'll leave you alone until you say." She said reluctantly with a nod.

"Thank you." He said quietly as he continued on his way. She sighed and walked back toward the common room. As she headed down the corridor she heard Syd ask Jack where he was going.

"I'm bored out of my mind, I'm getting off the base for a while."

Syd shrugged and continued on obliviously.

Tammi quickened her pace and sat down Indian style on the floor in front of Sky.

"Did you find him?" He whispered to her discretely.

"Yeah, He wants me to back off for a while. He said he needs time to think."

He squeezed her shoulder and smiled sadly down at her, "He'll bounce back. He is Jack after all."

"I know, it just took us so long to form a friendship the first time . . ."

"Everything will be okay." He told her with assurance. She sighed and rested her head on Sky's knee as he went back to reading his book. She was surprised to see that it was an actual book, and not the SPD handbook. She squinted her eyes and focused on the title. "Weaponless Battle Tactics" By: Rockwell DeSantos. She stifled a laugh. Well, he was still Sky after all. She wondered why, of all the strategy books he could have read, he chose her father's.

"Does anyone want any toast?" Bridge asked as he made his way to the couch, "It's really buttery, extra buttery."

Z rose an eyebrow at the way his fingers moved when the word buttery left his lips, "Bridge, why do you always wiggle your fingers when you say buttery?"

"He can't help himself it's ingrained in his cellular make up." Sky said with a serious expression, but an amused glimmer in his eyes. Tammi grinned at him and rolled her eyes. It was times like these when she preferred to sit back and observe.

As they continued to pick on Bridge she couldn't help but marvel at how far they had all come as a team. She had stopped secluding herself from everyone, people now for the most part understood Bridge, Sky was relaxing even if only a little, Syd was no longer just the spoiled little princess of the group, Z had come to rely on people other than Jack, and Jack had proved himself as a capable leader instead of the rip off Robin Hood he had started out as. But they had achieved something more important than all those things. A bond. They were a real team now. They had accepted each other for who they were and let that work to their advantage. It was something she had hardly ever experienced on her other squads. The former B-squad had come close to this, but never achieved it. There had still been some conflicts amongst them when they went into battle the day they were captured.

It made some part of her feel guilty. As if she were betraying her team, but she knew she wasn't. She had simply adapted to her environment. And she wouldn't have traded this environment for anything else in the world. These people healed her, they were her saviors. She would be forever grateful to them for that.

Suddenly Crugar could be heard clearing his throat. The five of them immediately stood at attention.

"At ease," He said as he took his place in front of them.

They all relaxed, and stood comfortably.

"Rangers these last few days have been uneventful," He continued, "But I caution you do not let your guard down. Something is brewing, I can feel it. Be at the ready."

"Yes sir" They chorused.

"Where's Jack?" The commander asked after taking a visual sweep of the room. Tammi gulped at looked down at the floor.

"He's in the city. He got bored, and decided to go out." Syd answered. Tammi was grateful she didn't have to.

"Very well. Carry on." He announced. They resumed their positions in the common room, except this time Sky put his book down, and leaned into Tammi's ear.

"Your Uncle told me something very interesting the other day," He whispered while Bridge and the commander seemed to be talking about toast.

"And what was that?" She asked him with a grin.

"That you have a birthday coming up. Is that true?"

"Which uncle was this?" She asked mock threateningly.

"Does it matter? And you still haven't answered my question."

"Yes, it's true, but I don't want it to be a big deal, okay?" She told him sternly.

"Okay, but you are at least going to let me take you out to dinner, right?"

"That depends, are you going to take me somewhere where they embarrass me in front of the entire restaurant?" She asked him suspiciously.

"Not if you don't want me to." He told her with a wide grin.

"Then I would have to say, yes you can take me out to dinner."

"Cadet DeSantos, can I speak with you in the command center for a moment?" Crugar asked as he moved to exit the room.

"Of course sir." She answered dutifully as she stood up and followed him out of the room.

"Hey Z?" Sky asked as he leaned in her direction.

"What's up Sky?"

"I have a favor to ask you, want to take a walk with me?"

"Um, yeah, sure." She said with a baffled expression.

* * *

"Is something wrong sir?" Tammi asked Crugar once they entered the command center. 

"No, Tammi, nothing is wrong, but Kat and I wish to inform you of something . . ." Crugar trailed off as Kat appeared.

"For months now, we've been receiving mysterious transmissions. The static has scrambled all of them too much to make out any words or phrases, but the computer can differentiate voices." Kat told her with a hopeful gleam in her eye as she played one of the transmissions. Kat was right the static was the overwhelming sound, but underneath it all you could make out clear vocal tones.

Tammi gasped, "Brandon."

"Yes, we believe A-squad has been trying to contact us." Crugar told her.

"The tones we've been able to make out sound weary and even on occasion to be in pain." Kat informed the young cadet.

"How could they be sending transmissions? Grumm barely takes his eyes off of you long enough to dig a tiny hole let alone find away to send a radio transmission." Tammi asked in confusion.

"We aren't quite sure, just like we aren't quite sure how you escaped him." Crugar said calmly.

"I lowered myself to his level that's how." Tammi told them darkly, "I killed anything and everything in my path until I reached my jet."

"Did your ranger genes . . ." Kat began.

"You mean psycho ranger genes. And yes they switched on, and I lost it." She answered with shame.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of. You were merely keeping yourself alive." Crugar reassured her as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

* * *

"You planned Syd's surprise party, right?" Sky asked Z as they left in their civilian clothes.

"Yes, why?" Z asked with intrigue.

"Well, Tammi has a birthday coming up, and I figure since you got away with it before that you're probably the best person to ask for help."

"It is still hard for me to believe that you and her are like a 'thing' now. I mean I could have sworn that she and Jack . . ."

"So could I." Sky answered with half of a grin.

Z smiled at him. She was happy for him. Despite the hurt she felt for her "brother" it was clear that Tammi and Sky cared about each other deeply. She found it strange that two people so obsessed with their work could relax each other as well as Tammi and Sky did, but the more time they spent with each other the more they both relaxed around everyone else.

"What exactly did the two of you do on your date anyway?" Z said as she finally got to ask the question that had been bugging her for days.

"I took her to Angel Grove, and let her show me around." Sky said with a smile.

"Angel Grove? What's so special about Angel Grove?" Z asked with a furrowed brow.

"It's were her parents and a lot of her 'extended' family became rangers for the first time." He said as they continues walking, "It's like her second home next to New Tech City. Her father and her mother spent most of their high school years there."

"Wow, that is surprisingly sweet, Sky." Z said approvingly.

"This may come as quite a shock to you, but I can, on occasion, be very charming." He told her mock defensively.

She grinned at him. Since she had come to SPD she had started to think of Bridge and Sky like brothers. More recently they began to reach the same level as Jack. All of Sky's stubborn and annoying qualities had started to become endearing to her.

"You know I think Jack had the right idea about getting away from the academy." He said as he shoved a hand in his pocket.

She looked at him with amazement, "The way you're loosening up Sky, you're almost becoming human."

"Damn," Z mumbled to herself as screams could be heard in front of them. They immediately took off in the direction of the commotion.

"I knew this was too good to last." Sky said as they pulled out their morphers.

* * *

Sirens went off in the command center.

"Doggie, we've got Trouble." Kat said as she observed the fight involving the yellow and blue rangers.

He nodded, "Cadet DeSantos, you go ahead, we'll send the others after you."

"Yes Sir." She said with a salute as she began to morph.

* * *

"Hi-yah!" Tammi yelled as she launched her self at the monochromatic goon. He instantly fell backwards.

"Are you guys okay?" Tammi asked as she backed toward them.

"We're fine." Sky answered with a nod.

"I'm tired of this game." The creep announced as he hit with them with some kind of beam. The three of them fell to the ground groaning in pain.

"Back off!" They heard Jack yell while he shot his blasters.

He let out a maniacal laugh, and shot his beams at them again. The rangers shielded themselves, but when they looked for him again he was gone.

* * *

When they reached the command center Jack was already gone. It made Tammi wonder what was going on with him. He knew they would be briefed on who this creep was. They always were.

Crugar split them up into three teams, and had them patrol the city for Delex and Jack.

Sky and Z were the first to arrive when the alien criminal reappeared, followed by Syd and Bridge, then by Sam and herself.

They were forced to engage in battle with out him, that is until he arrived to the battle late.

From then on out the fight followed the same predictable pattern. The minute they got the upperhand Delex decided to grow several hundred stories. Eventually the rangers contained him, and headed back to the base.

Crugar debriefed them and dismissed them. They all began to exit the command center when he called Jack back. She heard Sky mumble something to him tauntingly as she made her way out.

"Why do you do that?" She asked Sky as he caught up with her.

"To be honest I have no idea. I guess old habits die hard." He said with a shrug.

"You should try to give him a break sometimes." She told him cautiously.

"I know, It's just sometimes I can't resist."

She grinned, "Believe me I know how that goes."

"So, what did the Commander want to talk to you about?" He asked as Jack came storming out of the command center from behind them.

Tammi and Sky's line of vision followed him down the hallway until he reached the common room.

"I wonder what . . ." Tammi started before Kat came over the loudspeakers calling for the rangers to come to the command center.

"Kat?" Tammi asked as she and Sky skidded to a stop, "What's going on?"

"We just received SOS on the restricted SPD channel." She said throwing Tammi a meaningful glance.

"You don't think . . . ?" Tammi asked with a gulp.

"It could be." Crugar answered from behind her as Jack and the others entered the command center.

"Rangers, you are to load a space craft and take it to Gamma Orion. We received a distress call on a restricted channel, and we need all of you to investigate." Crugar commanded, "Go rangers."

They nodded and headed down to the loading bay.

"Tammi, what were they talking about?" Sky asked her as they loaded the space ship.

"I can't tell you. I was commanded not too, Sky, I'm sorry." She told him apologetically.

They morphed when they were fifteen minutes with in Gamma Orion, and called on their S.W.A.T. Modes. The ship transformed into a rover and trekked along the unfamiliar planet.

They exited and observed their surroundings. There was a another space craft that looked as if it had crashed recently, and nasty little flunkies running around in the woods. The majority of them were Troobians which confirmed her suspicion that her brother could be inside the ship they were guarding. Sky had already confirmed that there were life signs inside of it. _Please don't let this be a bust. I don't know if I could take it if it wasn't them._ She thought to herself as she attacked more Troobians.

"Get out of my way, you little jerks!" She yelled as she fought her way toward the ship.

An orange head began to charge, and she swiftly dodged him.

"You really do not want to mess with me right now. I'm anxious, angry, armed, and ready to kick some ass. Besides you're wearing my color, I hate people who rip off my outfits." Tammi said with a glare as she kicked him in the gut.

Finally the troobian's were defeated, and they could finally find out what the heck was inside that ship.

Jack and Sky blasted the doors, and smoke came billowing out. Tammi held her breath as five shadowy figures stumbled their way out of the smoke.

"A-squad," Tammi said in a gasp from the back of the group. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, _please don't let this be a dream._

Jack stepped forward to help support the red ranger as she demorphed.

Tammi watched with anticipation as Charlie appeared before her eyes.

"You're a girl." She heard Jack say in surprise.

"Red's a girl?" Sky asked in shock. _How did he not know that? Did I never tell him?_She smiled wryly as Syd and Z high fived each other.

"You got a problem with that?" Charlie asked Jack as she held on to her wounded arm.

"No." He said with a slight chuckle, "I'm cool."

"Power down." Tammi said as she pushed her way to the front of the rangers. She smiled brightly at them as she felt a weight lift from her shoulders. They were alive.

"Power down." The other four rangers chorused.

Tammi joyfully charged the man in yellow, "Brandon!"

"Tammi," He said as he tearfully embraced her, "I thought for sure you were . . ."

"You're one to talk. I break out of that dungeon only to find out that you and dad were captured as well. The past few months haven't exactly been fun for me either, bro." She whispered in his ear.

"Guys," She yelled joyfully as Brandon released her, "You have no idea how happy I am to see all of you."

Tammi observed the weary people who surrounded her when her eyes fell upon one familiar but misplaced face.

"Kai?" She asked as she approached the pink ranger.

"Tammi . . ." She breathed.

"What are you doing here? Where's Lilly?" She asked the group.

"We lost Lilly in battle just before we lost contact with SPD," Sean Taylor the green ranger announced quietly.

"And I was seperated from the rest of B-squad, I don't exactly know what happened. All I know is that your brother and Charlie found me."

"She was unconscious and beaten pretty badly. We gave her the pink morpher before our last battle." Charlie said as she leaned on Jack a little more.

Tammi nodded, and tried to process what they were saying. Lilly was dead. _Uncle Billy and Aunt Kat will be crushed. _She thought sadly.

"Let's get you guys back to the base," She said in a voice that was barely above a whispered. There was so much more she wanted to ask them, but now was not the time.

She went to Brandon and helped Z walk him through the woods to their ship.

"We'll answer all of your questions on the way back, sis, I promise." He told her compassionately as they all boarded.

She sat toward the back with A-squad, "Hang on, one second guys."

She walked up front to talk to Sky and the others.

"I'm gonna sit with them on the return ride home. They've got answers and, well, I've got plenty of questions." She told them with a gesture in the A-squad's direction.

They all nodded. Sky took her hand, "Just keep in mind that their answers may not be what you want to hear," He told her in warning.

She gave him a tight hug, "I know, Sky, and thank you."

She walked to the back of the ship and retook her seat in between Brandon and Kai.

"I don't trust them." Jack said as he watched Tammi interact with them.

"Something about them is definitely off." Z said suspiciously.

* * *

"Do you know what happened to the rest of our squad?" Tammi asked Kai.

"The last time I saw them we were being starved in Grumm's dungeons. He tried to convince us to join his side and tried to get us to give him inside information. He told us we would eat whenever we decided to talk. That's all I remember before waking up on a battlefield with these guys." She said sadly.

Tammi nodded, and turned to her brother, "Have you heard anything about dad? Did you see him? Do you know anything?"

"I'm sorry, Tammi, no. But he's dad. He'll make it through. He's too strong not too." Brandon told her with a weak smile.

"How did all of you escape?" She asked curiously.

"The switch flipped," Sean told her grimly.

"You mean psycho ranger mode?" She asked them.

"Yeah, they knocked Tabail, here," Charlie said motioning to the alien blue ranger, "unconscious, and we snapped. We ransacked the place looking for our morphers, and once we found them getting out was a piece of cake."

"We stole a ship and headed home," Tabail said as he spoke for the first time, "Only Grumm sent his Troobian's after us, and we crash landed in Gamma Orion."

"How did you escape? I mean I remember hearing the gaurds scrambling around to find you. I just never found out what happened." Kai asked as she placed a hand on her wounded ribs.

"Basically the same way you guys escaped, I flipped out." She told them as she leaned back in her seat.

They all sat in silence as they contemplated everything their flawed genes caused them to do. A sense of sorrow washed over all of them.

"I don't see what the problem is," Tabail said after a few minutes, "That psycho ranger mode all of you have is the only thing that's kept you alive all these years. None of you could have survived Grumm's abuse with out it."

"If only you knew, Tabail." Brandon said as he placed a hand on his friends shoulder.

"It doesn't just affect your actions, it lowers your standards of thinking to a beastlike level. You rely on instinct and nothing else." Sean answered as he focused his gaze on the floor.

"Anything that causes the military to want to dissect you, should be considered a curse." Kai answered through gritted teeth.

"I can't believe you guys, are actually here. Your families are gonna be thrilled." Tammi said desperately trying to change the subject.

"Oh yeah?" Charlie asked in slight disbelief, "How is everybody back home?"

"They're okay," Tammi said sadly, "They're trying to live their lives as best they can. Considering most of them don't know if their children are alive or not."

"Life shouldn't be this hard," Brandon said observantly.

"It wouldn't be life if it wasn't hard, B." Tammi told him as she slipped her arm through his, and rested her head on his shoulder.

* * *

"A joyous day for SPD, Well done B-squad." Crugar said as his voice filled with pride.

"Welcome back A-squad. I need to prepare your post medical. I will see you shortly." Kat addressed A-squad. She turned to B-squad before she left, "Nice job, guys. Thank you."

"Thank you again, cadets, you have filled in nicely, but now I need to speak to the A-squad. B-squad you are dismissed." Crugar said in a tone even Tammi hadn't heard since before she left for that horrible battle with Grumm.

The seven of them glanced back and forth at eachother in confusion. They were dismissed? But they were the ones who rescued A-squad.

"But sir . . ." Jack began.

"I said you are dismissed."

"Yes sir," They chorused half heartedly as they exited to the common room.

* * *

"You've got to be kidding me? B-squad! When was the last time Crugar called us B-squad?" Jack exploded at them, "I mean we work our butts off all year, and then we're ordered to leave the command center like we're some D-squad new comer?"

"I don't like any better than you, Jack, none of us do, but we knew that if A-squad returned this was going to happen." Sky said in an attempt to reason with them.

"That doesn't mean we have to like it." Z said in response.

"No, but we do have to deal with it." Tammi said with her back turned toward the group, "I understand why all of you might not like this, but they're A-squad. They have worked their butts off for their position not to mention survived all kinds of torture from Grumm. They deserve whatever attention they are getting from Crugar in there."

Tammi's tone possessed a certain hostility that none of them wished to push any further. Jack held his tongue and bit back his response.

"Bridge, how are you feeling?" Jack asked him as he entered the room. When he received no response Sky called out to him, and broke his trance.

"Sorry, I was just thinking, I have a really bad feeling guys. Kind of like the feeling I had before. And after being gone all that time. Wasn't it just a little to easy the way we just happened to find them?" Bridge said as he shared his epiphany.

Tammi's eyes flashed with anger, _is Bridge suggested my brother is a traitor?_

"Yeah, well, that's not our problem. Our problem is that we're B-squad, the reserves. Zord clean up detail. We do all the work and they're probably in the command center getting all these medals from Crugar.

That was it. She had had enough. This was her family they were insulting. Did being held captive on an enemy ship not constitute a medal?

"Tell me you're joking." She said angrily as she whipped around to face Jack. "Have you ever been on Grumm's ship? Do you have any idea what they do to you up there? No you don't Jack. If you can live through that you deserve a medal. Trust me. You have never been dragged out of you cell to be beaten or whipped. You've never had someone press a razor blade into your skin until you pass out from the pain. You've never had to sit back and watch while your life and your will to fight left you. YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEY OR I HAVE BEEN THROUGH, and until you do don't you EVER insult their loyalty or their dedication to SPD. They worked their asses off to get where they are only to be repaid by months of torture!"

"Tammi, I'm sorry I didn't realize . . ."

"It doesn't matter, you don't understand, and you never will. Those people in there are my family. They are not traitors," She said glaring in Bridge's direction, " and they are worthy of all the praise they can get."

"Tammi," Sky said as he reached out to embrace her.

"Don't, Sky." She told him as she shrugged him off, "When my brother comes out, tell him I've gone 'home'. He'll know what it means."

And with that she ran away. Away from the academy. Away from everything.

Her body shook with rage as she started her patrol cycle. She could not stay here while they insulted her family and her past.

* * *

Chapter thirteen! Geez this was a whopper of a chapter. I had forgotten that so much happened in 'resurrection'. Well, I hope you guys enjoyed it! Read and Review.

angellwings


	14. I'm Sorry Little Sister

_Author's Note: _takes place after they have captured Crugar.

The Return

Chapter 14: I'm Sorry, Little Sister

by angellwings

"Chelle, you're the only one who can help us right now." Bridge said soothingly as he wrapped an arm around her.

"I still can't believe that they would do that to Crugar . . ."

"We need to know where Tammi's gone so we can get to her before Brandon does." Bridge said softly as he tried to break through her shock.

She nodded, and turned her attention to Sky, "I know where she's gone, but she won't believe you unless she sees it for herself. Her brother may be a mean little jerk to her most of the time, but they do care about each other. She's loyal to him. She'll lash out at whichever one of you tells her."

Sky sighed, "Just tell us where she is Chelle . . ."

"Okay, but I'm telling her. It will be more believable for her if it comes from someone who knows Brandon." She said with a determined glare, "She gone to their old house on Stadium Drive. Her father made a deal with the city and they've kept the all the utilities running. He planned to move back there after he retired . . . C'mon Sky, I'll take you to her."

Michelle grabbed his hand, gave Bridge a quick peck on the lips, and headed for the vehicle bay.

* * *

Tammi took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She inhaled the scent all around her. No one had been in this house for years . . . yet it still smelled exactly as she remembered it. Like her mother. 

She didn't remember that much about her. She was only four when she died, but what she did remember would stick with her forever.

Her mother had this particular scent. It was like cinnamon and roses. It was an odd, but very comforting combination.

"This place still smells exactly like mom." A voice said from behind her. She turned to face her brother.

"Hey," She said softly as she made her way to him, "I'm so glad you're back. I've missed you."

She hugged him tight, and sighed happily.

"You've missed me? All I've ever done is pick on your height, you're hair, and whatever else I could think of. Not to mention throwing your stuffed animals in to the garbage disposal." He said with a chuckle.

"Yeah, but you are still my brother, and now that you're back Grumm doesn't stand a chance. We'll get dad back and everything will go back to the way it was before. We'll finally be a family again." She told him with a huge smile.

He released Tammi quickly, "I have to tell you something . . ."

"I am so glad you're hear, you have no idea what my team has been saying about you guys. They don't understand anything about all of us. They don't trust you guys. Some of them even insinuated that you could be traitors. It's preposterous! I mean you would never . . ."

"We have." He stated simply.

She jerked her gaze up at him, "What?"

"We were sent back to kidnap Crugar . . . and we did. We're about to engage battle with B-squad in a short while."

"But that would mean . . ."

"That we're working for Grumm."

"I don't understand . . ." She said as a hurt and lost look over came her face.

"Tammi!" She heard a familiar voice call as two figures appeared in the door way. It was Sky and Michelle.

"What are you doing here?" Brandon asked with a glare in Sky's direction, "Hey Chelle."

"Don't call me that, traitor. Where's Crugar?" She asked venomously.

Tammi backed herself all the way to the opposite wall. Her brother was a traitor. He was working for Grumm. There was so much she didn't understand.

"Why?" She croaked out with a quiver in her voice.

"Because he's going to get our family back. Mom's alive, Tammi, and Grumm knows where she is. He said he is going to help me get her and dad back." He said with a hopeful smile as he approached her, "We will be together again. All of us."

"Brandon . . ."

"He wants you to join us. I want you to join us. Think about it. We'll be Grumm's most respected officers, and we get our lives back. It's the chance of a lifetime. Come with me, sis." He said as he stretched out his hand for her.

She stared back at him with hurt filled eyes, "He's deceived you Brandon. He's used your emotions against you. Do you honestly think you can trust Grumm?"

"I would think you would understand. S.P.D is the root of all of our problems." He yelled in frustration, "It's why mom and dad aren't here right now. It's the reason our squads were captured. If we get rid of the obstacle that is S.P.D. Then we can finally be happy."

"Dad helped create this branch of S.P.D. There is no way he would want to see it destroyed. Besides you know dad would rather die on Grumm's ship than live in a world where he would rule." She said as attempted to get through to him.

"Enough! I don't want to hear any of this. Are you going to join us or not?" He asked hotly.

She looked at him with piteous eyes, _how did things get like this?_

Sky watched intensely as Brandon tried to sway Tammi. She wouldn't join him would she? She couldn't.

"Don't worry, Sky." He heard Michelle whisper, "She'll refuse. You can see it in her eyes."

"I . . . I can't, Brandon. S.P.D. Is my home, my life, and my mission. I won't betray that."

Sky felt him self release a breath he didn't know he was holding.

"I was afraid you say that." There was some sort of movement around Tammi's stomach before he, with sorrowful eyes, said, "If you're not with us you're against us . . . I'm sorry, little sister."

Tammi's eyes went wide as she felt something circular press against her stomach. A split second later a loud bang sounded through out the house, and Tammi slowly slid down the wall and into the floor.

Brandon turned to the blue ranger, "I'll see you in a few minutes, Tate."

Then he vanished. Teleported away. Sky barely had time to register what was going on until he saw it. Until he saw a thick substance pooling on the floor.

"Tammi!" He screamed as ran to her barely conscious body, "No, Tammi please, please don't leave. Just hold on."

Michelle stood there staring at the floor in shock. In the ruckus she noticed Sky had dropped his morpher. She frantically picked it up off the ground, and cried tearfully in to it.

"Michelle to Command Center. It's urgent! We've got a ranger down! Do you hear me? Tammi has been shot! Send help as fast as you can, 4658 Stadium Drive. Please hurry!"

* * *

There you go. An update. Hope you guys don't hate me. I may not be updating as frequently anymore what with school starting back up and everything, but I will try. 

angellwings


	15. The Aftermath

The Return

Chapter 15- The Aftermath

by angellwings

The current B-squad sat in a row of chairs across the hall from Tammi's room. Dr. Felix was mending the bullet wound, and her team, plus the presence of Michelle, was anxiously awaiting word on Tammi's condition. Sky sat with his elbows resting on his knees and his head in his hands while Michelle sat numbly staring at the wall across from her.

The other cadets exchanged worried glances not only over Tammi's condition but over Sky and Michelle's emotional states. Bridge placed a comforting hand on Michelle's back and rubbed small circles in an attempt to help her break through the shock.

"Michelle?" He asked her gingerly, "Have you called your dad?"

She shook her head mutely. Bridge sighed. He had hoped he would have been able to get her to say at least a little something. She hadn't said a single word since she and Sky had arrived with the paramedics.

"I'll go call him then, just to make sure he knows your okay." He told her as he once again hoped for a verbal response, but all he got was another silent nod. Syd smiled sympathetically at him as she took his place beside Michelle and continued rubbing her back in hopes of soothing the young cadet.

He looked back at her frequently as he made his way to the phone. He couldn't believe this was happening. What concerned all of them the most was the method Brandon used for wounding her. A pistol. That's right an old fashioned pistol with actual bullets. Laser wounds were easy to heel because they rarely penetrated through the skin, but the doctors here hadn't dealt with bullet wounds in at least fifteen years. And from what they had learned the bullet barely missed Tammi's lungs and other vital organs.

Sky was a wreck. In all the years he and Syd had been on his squad they had never seen him this upset. After what seemed like never ending rings a voice finally picked up. It was Michelle's younger brother.

"Bridge?" he asked almost immediately.

"Yeah, it's me."

"Sorry, it took so long. Dad, Mom, Mike, and I were all down in the basement hoping to get some information about what's happening. Dad's alarms went crazy earlier today, and we've been trying to figure out what happened."

"Actually, that's exactly what I called about." He said with a gulp, "Could you put Mr. Oliver on the phone?"

"Yeah, sure." He said enthusiastically as he called for his father.

"What's going on, Carson? How's my little girl? Is she okay? And where the hell is Crugar?" He asked urgently.

"Let me start by saying, sir, that Michelle is fine. But she and Sky have seen something very disturbing and . . ."

"Carson . . ." He said in a frustrated growl reminiscent of the Commander, "Just tell me what happened."

"We found A-squad." He said as he began to tell Dr. Oliver the story.

"That's impossible . . ." He said softly to himself.

"Actually sir, I should have said they found us . . ." He said reluctantly, "They betrayed us, and kidnapped Crugar."

"I should have known something like this would happen. What did Grumm use? A serum? A computer chip?"

"No sir, they betrayed us of their own free will."

"What? I don't understand. Why would they . . ."

"We're not sure, sir. But Brandon said something about SPD basically tearing his family apart."

"Brandon? You've spoken with Brandon?"

"No sir, Michelle, Sky, and Tammi have . . . but it didn't turn out well. That's what I've been trying to tell you sir. After they kidnapped Crugar we knew they would go after Tammi, and only Michelle knew where she was. So, her and Sky went to find Tammi. When they got there Brandon was already there. He was trying to convince Tammi to join up with Grumm."

"If Rocky were here he would kick that boys ass for even trying . . ." Bridge heard a female voice grumble on the other end. Dr. Oliver had apparently put him on Speaker phone.

"But she refused, and he . . ." Bridge began as he reluctantly continued, "He shot her, sir."

He heard a series of gasps on the other end, and some shocked mumblings of "I never thought . . .", "How could he . .", "His own sister . . ."

"So, you see sir, Michelle is fine physically, but, well she just watched someone she thought she knew shoot her best friend, and she's stopped talking to anyone. I can't get through to her, none of us can. We've been trying but . . ."

"Don't worry, Bridge, we're on our way." He heard Michelle's mother say, "Just keep an eye on her for us."

and then the line went dead.

Should he call Sky's mother? He sighed and dialed her number. She needed to know, and Sky wasn't moving until he heard from the doctors.

"Hello?"

"Mrs. Tate?"

"Oh, Hi Bridge. How are you?"

"I'm okay, Mrs. Tate. I hate to do this to you, but well, somethings happened to Tammi, and Sky's pretty upset, could you . . ."

"I'll be there, Bridge, but what happened?"

He repeated the story he told to Dr. Oliver and his family, and found that Mrs. Tate had the same reaction. Sky had told him about he and Tammi's history that even they barely remembered, and he knew that Mrs. Tate had been a close friend of Tammi's family's. She had known both Tammi and Brandon since they were born.

He hung up with Mrs. Tate, and headed back to the chairs to sit with his team. He found things exactly the same as when he left them. Michelle staring blankly at the wall, and Sky's head still resting in his hands. He resumed his seat beside Michelle and informed that her family was on their way. He leaned over to Sky and told him that his mother was coming as well. Both gave silent nods of understanding and returned to the previous forms of moping.

The group sat in silence until Michelle and Sky's families arrived. Jack, Z, Bridge, Syd, and Sam gave up there seats in favor of the Olivers and Mrs. Tate. Michelle seemed as stoic as ever and barely acknowledged their presence. Sky lifted his head out of his hands and faced the opposite direction of his mother's concerned stare.

When Dr. Felix finally appeared Sky and Michelle were the first to rise and meet him.

"She'll be fine. Her major wounds should be healed within the hour. We seared the gunshot wound closed, and removed the bullet. I'm still uncertain as to why Grumm would give Brandon such a primitive weapon. She'll be awfully sore for a few days, and we'll have a few visible cuts and bruises, but I'm pleased to say the she'll be up and about by the end of today. She will have to take a mandatory leave of absence to recover of course." He announced with a small smile. A sigh of relief escaped the lips of everyone.

"You haven't told her about the leave yet have you?" Michelle asked with small grin.

"No, to be honest, I'm afraid to." Dr. Felix said bluntly as he sped down the hall.

A light chuckle spread through out the room as the watched the doctor hurry away. Everyone agreed that Sky and his mother should be Tammi's first visitors.

"Hey." He answered wearily.

"Are you okay?" Tammi asked him as he sat down in a chair beside her bed.

"Me?" He asked in shock, "You're the one with a bullet wound and you're asking me if I'm okay?"

She rolled her eyes, "Sky, I know you. You probably sat out there in silence for hours upon hours with your head buried in your hands thinking, 'this is all my fault, this is all my fault.'"

"How . . .?"

"Let's just say that you bear a freakish resemblance to my father."

Mrs. Tate grinned at the young woman she come to respect, "And you are exactly like your mother."

She looked up at her in surprise, "I thought you said I was like my father?"

"Well, then you've got all of their qualities combined." Vivian said with a smile, "But the way you were talking to Sky was exactly the way your mother used to talk to your father."

Tammi smiled brightly at Mrs. Tate, "Good. So, when can I go back to work?"

Sky hesitated before opening his mouth to speak, "Dr. Felix thinks you should take a leave of absence for a proper recovery."

"No, that's not going to happen."

"Tammi," He said as he grabbed her hand, "Your brother just tried to kill you. You need time off to process . . ."

"It's processed Sky, believe me, when your brother puts a bullet into your body it's processed very quickly." She said softly.

"I just . . ."

"Please don't give me that tone." She begged as she sensed the pity in his voice.

"It's just that with Crugar gone, Dr. Felix's word is final."

"No, it's not Kat is his superior. I want to speak with Kat."

"Tammi it won't make . . ."

"Yes it will!" She cried desperately.

"The truth is . . . that I agree with him."

"I don't believe this . . . you of all people should be behind me on this."

"What does that mean?" Sky asked in a tone that clearly showed he took offense.

Mrs. Tate gradually slid to the back of the room. Things had gotten rather uncomfortable. To be honest she was on Tammi's side. She'd lost everything else, so at the moment work was all that kept her from wallowing. She knew that form experience.

"Do you know what the A-squad's reappearance means? It means Grumm is about to hit SPD with all he's got. It also means that I am closer to saving my squad than ever before, and quite possibly . . . my father. I'm not stupid. I know that after this is over my brother is going to be locked away for a long time. I can't live my life with out at least some piece of my family. There's a chance my father is alive, and as long as there is a chance . . . I'm going to try and I'm going to fight. You and the rest of SPD can try and keep me locked up in here, but you know that I will find a way out. It's what I do. I am a DeSantos, and I'm a ranger. Fighting to the end is in my blood." She told him with angry tears.

"I don't want you to get hurt again. I won't be able to take it if anything else happens to you." He said with a gulp as he turned to face her again, "I thought I had lost you back there."

"I know, I thought you had too." She told him as she squeezed his hand, "And then I could hear you calling to me. It's sounds strange but I could. It was distorted and sort of gurgled, but it was definitely you."

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that's chapter fifteen. If you can't tell I'm stalling so that I can finish Memories, lol. I don't want to finish this one before that one. And this is so close to being finished that I'm having to stretch it out a bit. There are going to be some references to SPD and this story in general in Memories, and It would be weird to have the hypothetical sequel finished before the first installment.

Hope you enjoyed it!

And don't forget to vote for me at the Hope For The World Awards! The link is in my profile and voting ends midnight on August 31st!

angellwings


	16. Stolen

_**A/N: A.U.-ishness ahead.**_

The Return

Chapter 16: Stolen

by angellwings

Tammi sighed as she watched her team pile in the jeep and drive off. This was not good. They didn't know what those guys were capable of. Yeah, okay, they knew they were the tightest team SPD had ever seen, but they didn't know Brandon's abilities. The boy could crush your skull in two seconds just by using his mind. He was dangerous. And now that he was working for Gruumm . . .

_I have to go. I have to help them. _She thought as she lifted herself out of the hospital bed. They were about to send her back to her apartment on base so they had taken out her IV. She pulled on her tattered SPD uniform quickly, and grabbed her morpher off the nightstand.

No one was in the hallway it was now or never.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sky glanced back every now and then. He was watching for Tammi. He hoped she would deny her instincts and stay at the base.

But somehow he doubted she would.

His bike and the jeep slammed to the stop. They were here.

Jack bounded out of the jeep, he was eager to get a piece of the jackass who hurt Tammi. He was confused and angry. He still had some feelings for the orange ranger, but . . . he was very interested in Ally. And then Tammi had been shot . . .

He tightened his fists, and prepared to fight the so called "A-squad".

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tammi hopped into one of the patrol cars, and started the car.

Suddenly the passenger side door was jerked open and raven haired girl stepped in.

"Michelle, get out." Tammi told her with restraint.

"I'm coming with you." She said as she fastened her seatbelt.

"No you're not. Your father would kill me."

"He's the one who forced me to come here, I'm going." She said through clenched teeth.

"No lower squad cadet may accompany a team into battle with out authorization." She recited mechanically and sighed with defeat, "Here goes my job."

She revved the engine and sped after her team.

They arrived in the middle of the battle. It was color coordinated fighting, and she momentarily wondered how that happened before bringing her self to the present. Her eyes quickly found Brandon. He was fighting his way toward Sky and Jack. _No! I've got to get over there._

She rushed forward. She could feel her skin heating as she approached. Her hands automatically fisted. She ducked and twisted her way to Brandon as he inched toward Charlie and Sky and Jack. She felt the flames building around her skin. Her eyes flashed heatedly and she hit her brother with a constant stream of fire. Her wrists were side by side as if bound by an invisible rope with both of her palms open.

Suddenly B-squad noticed her presence. She marched hypnotically toward the place where her brother fell. His ranger suit had faded away and his uniform had been charred slightly.

"Tammi, you're . . . alive."

"What? You gonna do something about it?" She asked with ragged and angry breathing, "Hurt me all you want, but leave them alone."

"What? But I'm your family . . ."

"Yeah, cause it's normal for family to shoot each other in the stomach." She snapped back sarcastically, "You're not my brother . . . my brother would never side with Gruumm."

She stood intimidatingly over Brandon as he slowly rose from the ground. Suddenly the breath was knocked out of her as she hit the ground. Charlie had her pinned to the ground.

"You . . ." Tammi whispered with hatred, "You did this, you took them to him . . ."

She grinned, "Of course I did, I wanted my brother back, but once we got there he offered us so much more. Power my own mother and father have never come close to experiencing, and well your brother was so hopelessly in love with me he would have tried to kill you if I had asked him to . . . oh wait, I did."

Tammi roared with fury, and flipped Charlie over her shoulder. This was the woman who stole her brother form her. Charlie's suit collapsed and she was left in her SPD uniform. Tammi glared and powered up her flames once again. She was ready to kill her, to give her what she deserved, to punish her for her crimes . . .

A gloved hand grabbed her from behind, "Don't Tammi, She's not worth it . . ."

She whipped around and focused on Sky's visor as he whispered to her, "You don't want this . . ."

She glanced around and noticed the rest of A-squad had been conquered. Sky pulled her behind him as they judged the five members of the once noble A-squad.

"You can't do this to us . . . we're your family." Charlie pleaded with Tammi.

"It's a little late to play that card, don't you think?" Tammi asked with a death glare as the containment cards were launched.

Tammi looked frantically for Michelle. Where did she go?

"Hey, guys!" Michelle called from behind them, "It's not quite over . . ."

They followed her gaze to the Megazord above them.

"Damn," Jack cursed, "How the hell did he get a hold of the Delta Command Base?"

Tammi realized this meant she had to step back. She had no zord. It was, as her father had called it, "The Curse of the Orange Ranger."

"What are you guys going to do?" Tammi asked them curiously.

"The Flyers . . ."

"Kat's the only person who knows where to find them." Z said with a furrowed brow.

"Maybe not." Bridge said as he stood on his head.

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_There it is. I'm not doing the rest of 'Endings pt. 1' because I think it would be really tedious. We all know they defeat Broodwing._

_I changed the battle with A-squad for dramatic purposes of course. We were all waiting for Tammi to go psycho, even me, and I control her every whim._

_BTW there is more to this story after 'Endings pt 2'._

_If you want to fully enjoy the ending of this when it comes, I suggest you read "Memories: the Orange Ranger Story"._

_Enjoy!_

_angellwings_


	17. History Repeats Itself

The Return

by angellwings

Chapter 17: History Repeats Itself

"How ironic that another team of your ends up on my ship. Oh, but not only is it your team, but your commander as well. You must feel like such a jinx at the moment, Orange Ranger." Gruumm grinned evilly, "And to be betrayed by someone you trusted again."

"What are you talking about?" Tammi asked through gritted teeth, "You ambushed us."

"Or so it appeared. Did you ever wonder how Kai came to be a member of my A-squad?" Gruumm smiled maliciously when he saw realization dawn, "She came to me, and together we came up with a plan to capture all of you, she betrayed you early on, and she provided me with the means to persuade A-squad. So, naturally when Cranston refused she was promoted. And it all happen right underneath your nose. And now to have it happen again . . ."

Gruumm shook his head in sarcastic disapproval.

Tammi's jaw locked and her eyes flared, if she ever saw Piggy again he was dead.

She felt Sky's presence behind her, and took strength in it.

Gruumm was not blind to this, he recognized the bond between them immediately as something he would have to seperate. Much like the girl's parents.

"Are you in love with this failure blue ranger?" He asked as he attempted to narrow those crimson bulbs that acted as his eyes, "Don't deny it, I see it, Just like the former commander and his precious yellow ranger. I suppose I'll do to you what I did to them."

He nodded to two orange heads. They marched into the cell as the Commander Crugar and the others watched. They grabbed Tammi's arms, and she felt Sky pull one off of her. While she flipped the other one onto the ground. Gruumm frowned, yes they were far too much like the girl's parents he would have to put a stop to it.

"Bring me the girl, I'm sure Mora needs more practice." He said loudly as he stormed off.

Tammi glared at where the 'emperor' had stood; she knew what that meant. More orange heads stormed the strange cell, and this time all the rangers went at them, but in the end they were too many, and Tammi had been dragged from the cell. This would not happen again. She would not be tortured. She fought tooth and nail to get away, but they wouldn't let go. Right before the rangers disappeared from sight she noticed anorange head and several crybots enter the cell, and everyone assume a fighting stance. That did not look good. Of course neither did her current situation.

She was cuffed to the wall with her front facing it, and her hands held captive above her. She immediately went to work heating the iron cuffs by heating her skin and causing it to flame up. She could see the right cuff beginning to soften, it was slowly beginning to glow orange. She intensified the heat emitting from her body as small footsteps could be heard coming toward her.

"Come back to play, Tammi?" Mora asked gleefully.

From her peripheral vision she could see Mora holding something that resembled a pen, but as it glistened in the harsh light she saw it for what it truly was . . . a razor blade. It was a pen with a razor blade on the tip. _Damn, I've got to get out of here._

The metal was almost soft enough to break through as Mora stepped forward and ripped back the cloth covering her lower back. _Do something, DeSantos, you're stronger than you were the last time you were here._

Tammi reared her leg back and kicked Mora away as she attempted to dig the blade into Tammi's back. Mora flew across the room and smacked into the wall then hit the ground with a thud. _C'mon, C'mon, C'mon._

She ripped her right wrist through the weakened metal, _YES!_

Tammi focused on her other wrist as Mora groaned and slowly began to lift herself up. The metal tinged orange as Mora stood and rubbed her forehead soothingly. Mora grabbed her scalpel pen and eyed Tammi maliciously. She charged her with her weapon held out in front of her. The blade was stabbed into Tammi's right leg.

She screamed in pain and lunged at the seemingly child like villian with her free arm. The momentum of her movement broke the softened iron, and she fell to the ground. Tammi ignored the searing pain in her leg and grabbed the girl by her shirt and slammed her onto the floor. She whipped out her badge.

"You can't do this to me . . ."

"Why do the bad guys always try to pull that." Tammi grumbled as she captured Mora in a card.

She pocketed the card and bolted out the door.

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Sky's eyes never left Tammi's as she was they pulled her away from them . . . until she could no longer be seen.

"Power Rangers," An orange head said as the cell doors opened, "Omni has decided your assistance is not longer needed. We are here to carry out his orders"

"Rangers, it's been an honor to serve with you." Crugar announced.

The orange head laughed just before there was a flash of light and all but two crybots were crumpled on the ground.

"What just happened?" Z asked

"It's hard to say I was kind of covering my eyes with my hands." Bridge said from a crouching position behind the others, "But from the looks of things the last crybots standing are really bad shots."

"Let's take 'em, sir!" Sky yelled.

Piggy revealed himself first despite Michelle's telepathic warnings, and Sky instantly ran at him.

"You traitor! You brought us here, you brought her back here and now they're doing God knows what to her!" He bellowed as he grabbed hold of Piggy's collar. Jack pulled him back and Michelle ripped off her mask and ran to stand between them.

"Stop!" She yelled, "Listen he came to me, okay? And he volunteered to fling himself into the hands of people who hated him. He wouldn't do that unless he was genuinely sorry right?"

She looked to Bridge for support, and he gave her half of a grin and nodded.

"I know, I know, you hate me, and you have every right to. No need to judge me. I'm guilty you can send me straight to one of those little . . ." Piggy said as he motioned with the laser and Bridge took it from him, "Oh, well, the point is . . . I'm sorry."

Sky shook Jack off of him, "Fine, fine . . . thanks."

Sky extended his hand to piggy for a 'peace treaty' shake. Piggy took it suspiciously.

"Guys, guys!" They heard Tammi yell as she limped around the corner.

"Tammi? What happened?" Sky asked protectively.

"Huh, oh that." She said with a glance at her leg, "That was Mora, but don't worry, I took care of her."

She grinned and patted the pocket where she placed the card.

"Tammi, you're bleeding . . ." Sky told her as if she wasn't aware of it.

"I know, but for the moment I think we need to worry about the swarm of crybots heading our way." She told them as she nodded to the area just past them. As she glanced at the others her eyes landed on Piggy, "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I-I-I . . ."

"Tammi relax he's sorry." Michelle told her bitingly.

"Yeah, cause that will make everything better." She said and then did a double take, "Where did you come from?"

"Piggy brought me up here." Michelle said dully.

"Right, just make sure you tell your parents that." She said as she turned back around.

She moved herself closer to Sky. With a bum leg she was definitely going to need his help. He sensed it too and wrapped an arm around her waist.

"Stay close." He whispered in her ear.

She nodded to him just in time for the battle to begin. With in minutes, and a little bit of juggling they're position the crybots were gone.

"Rangers, you need to get back to earth . . ."

"With all do respect, sir, I'm staying." Tammi said in determination, "My father is somewhere on this ship and so is my team. I have to find them."

"DeSantos, I don't think that . . ."

"I'm staying whether you approve or not, sir."

He sighed, "Fine, but hurry, and be careful."

She nodded, and glanced reluctantly down at her leg.

"I'm coming with you." Sky said with a blank expression.

"Sky, you have to go with them. They need you to defend the base. Go, I'll be fine." She told him softly as she placed an hand on his arm.

"Not with that leg, you won't . . ."

"I'll stay with her." Michelle told Sky with a nod, "You go, I'll help her."

Sky hesitantly agreed, "If something happens to you . . ."

"Sky, I have to find my father, we talked about this . . ." She wrapped her arms around his neck, and pressed her forehead to his, "I-I love you, and I will fight with all that is in me to come back to you. You have to trust me."

He nodded, "I do trust you, and I love you too . . ."

"Promise me you will do what you have to do, to destroy Gruumm." She looked him dead in the eyes now and took her hands from his neck and placed them on either side of his face, "Above everything else he has to be destroyed."

"I will, Tammi, I will." He sighed and kissed her lips lightly.

She pulled away from him and told him simply and emotionally, "Go."

He slowly backed away and then turned forward and broke into a run. She stood there for a few seconds and watched him go. "C'mon, Chelle."

She nodded and propped Tammi against her, "Which way?"

"The cells are to the right."

The two of them hustled down the moldy corridors, glancing at every cell they passed. Suddenly Tammi saw a flash of several colors.

"Michelle?"

"Yeah?"

"Turn right."

"Why?"

"I saw something, I think it's B-squad."

Michelle nodded and took them both to the right. Gruumm's ship was practically deserted, there was no one gaurding the prisoners. Neither of them took this as a good sign.

There, in the first cell at the end of the hallway, sat five people in tattered uniforms.

"Tammi!" she heard Robby exclaim.

"Guys." She said in tearful releif, "You're alive."

"Charlie and the others, you can't trust them . . ." Lilly cried urgently.

"We took care of it, Lils."

"We?" Roxie Johnson asked suspiciously.

"The new B-squad, and me."

"They gave you a new squad?" Alex asked sounding slightly offended.

"No, they added me to a squad."

"Where's the key?" Michelle asked glancing around for a guard or at least a hook of some kind.

"They took it." Griffin said with his famous Karovian temper beginning to shine through his eyes.

"No time for that anyway," Tammi said as she covered the latch with her hands and softened the metal. She and Michelle bent the lock and the latch away from eachother, and the iron door swung open, "You guys have to get out of here, now . . . do any of you know where they are holding my dad?"

"No, but the gaurds always complain about an 'old goat' that was kept in a cell down that way." Lilly told her as she motioned down the rest of the pitch black hallway, "You're going to try to find him aren't you?"

"It wouldn't be right if I didn't." She said as the ship began to shake.

"Well, then you'd better hurry . . ." Lilly said with a nod, "Which way do we go?"

"Michelle, take them . . . I can handle it from here."

"What? I can't just . . ."

"You have to, you know the way out."

She swallowed and nodded, "Sky's gonna kill me for this."

Tammi grinned, "No, he won't. He knows how I am."

She continued to limp down the hallway as she heard the ex B-squad, Lilly, and Michelle run for the exit.

"Dad!" She yelled, "C'mon, C'mon, I know you're here . . . DADDY!"

"Tammi . . ." She heard a soft voice say a few feet ahead of her.

She scrambled to the cell as best she could, "Daddy . . . I'm getting you out of here."

She grabbed one of his hands with her left hand, and stuck her right pinky into the the key whole and blew out the actual lock with a burst of flame. The door opened and she threw herself at him, and he returned the embrace tightly.

"Flamebird . . ." She heard him whisper as he kissed her on the forehead. Tears of joy spilled down her cheeks as the ship rocked back and forth again, _What was going on? It's moving back and forth like it's walking or . . . wait! Is it walking?_

She pulled away slightly and took in her father's appearance. He was thin, and covered in thick scars. He looked gruff, but very frail. His muscles had atrophied since he'd been kept here, "Dad, we have to get out of here, now."

She pushed herself up as best she could while her father stood up immediately, "What happened to your leg?"

"Mora . . ."

"Say no more, Let me help . . ." He supported her with his own weak form and they hobbled away from the cells together. She had grown up so much . . . she looked just like her mother. They had both missed so much of their lives . . . could they ever get what they had back?

The shaking suddenly stopped, Tammi's head snapped up. She could feel the massive amounts of heat that were headed their way . . . they were flowing through her . . . becoming a part of her. _The ship is exploding . . . Sky kept his promise._

She had no time. She pulled her father behind her to shield him from the blast and morphed rapidly. The flames were headed their way, "Stay, behind me dad."

There was no time for him to do otherwise, seconds later they were engulfed by the flames of Omni's explosion.

Everything went black.

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Eleven people stood at the edge of Omni's rubble. Two different teams, and several tragic losses.

One team lost a honorable member, friend, and love.

The other team lost a leader, friend, and mentor.

Both teams lost a Commander.

The losses stood at four. Commander Anubis "Doggie" Cruger, Isynia Cruger, Commander Rockwell "Rocky" DeSantos, and Cadet Tammi Ashton DeSantos.

Sky dropped to his knees in front of the site . . . she was gone. It didn't seem right or real at all. He had to look for her, just as she had looked for her father.

He pulled himself up and hiked through the debris.

"Sky . . ." Syd called after him sadly.

"I have to know, Syd, I have to see." He snapped back mournfully. He saw her shoulders sag and heard her sigh. She was trying to keep him from it, he knew that, but he wouldn't believe it until he could see it.

He stood in the middle of the rubble now, silently observing his surroundings. Something shifted not too far away. Rocks and metal were moving, and a head slowly appeared.

He could hear it whispering.

"Tammi, Tammi, honey, please . . . wake up."

He jogged closer, his curiosity getting the better of him.

There sat a sickly looking Commander DeSantos covered in ash, rocking the body of his daughter back and forth in his arms.

"Flamebird . . ." He whispered as he sobbed.

Sky felt his legs give out, and he landed on his knees directly in front of the former commander, "No . . ."

Rocky sadly glanced up at the young man in front of him. He wore a blue B-squad uniform. He immediately recognized the boy's eyes. Sky Tate. The last time he had seen him, he had just been admitted into the Academy. He had only missed being on a squad with Tammi by a few weeks. He remembered thinking the boy eerily resembled his father in spirit and style.

He and Tammi must have finally reconnected. After all those years he and Vivian had kept them apart . . . they finally found each other again. Tate was looking mournfully at his daughter with a look that scared even the great commander and veteran ranger. He was in love with his little girl.

A moan escaped the body in his arms.

"Flamebird?" Rocky asked urgently.

"Daddy . . ." She answered weakly.

"Sky! Sky!" A petite blond called from behind them, "Cruger's ali- holy shit."

She swallowed, "I'm going to go get Kat, no one move."

and with that she ran off in the direction she came from.

"Tammi . . ." He heard Tate whisper as he reached for her hand.

"Sky . . . I told you, I would fight . . ." She said with a raw throat as she gripped his hand in return and grinned.

He laughed lightly through the tears that had fallen down his cheeks, "That is the second time today that I thought I had lost you . . . if you do that again . . ."

"It's not something I enjoy . . . believe me . . ." She told him with exhaustion as she looked up at her father, "Daddy, this is Sky Tate, Blue B-squad ranger, Sky this is my father, Commander Rocky DeSantos."

They nodded at each other.

"Nice to finally see you again, sir." Sky said with weary eyes and an outstretched hand.

Rocky accepted the handshake and looked down at his daughter and then back at Cadet Tate, "You too, Cadet."

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_I'm so excited! There are at least two more chapters, maybe three. Keep an eye out! _

_The next couple of chapters will be really fun to write. Ahh!_

_Enjoy!_

_angellwings_


	18. Normal?

The Return

Chapter 18: Normal?

by angellwings

The short break between the end of the battle and reporting to command center Tammi was forced to spend getting her leg inspected while Sky went to look for the missing civilians and her father had an informal meeting with Commander Birdie and Commander Cruger. So here she sat in the infirmary tent outside of the base, with her wound bandaged.

"Hey, Tammi," She heard Jack say from her right.

"Hey, Jack," She said awkwardly as she realized the last thing she had said to him had been in anger, "I'm sorry about biting your head off earlier . . ."

"No, no, you were right. I have no idea what happened to you or the rest of your squad while Gruumm had you, and from the way you spoke it sounds like your B-squad does deserve a few medals . . ."

"Yours does too," She told him with a grin.

An awkward silence swept over them again, "I'm sorry about your brother and the others . . ."

"Me too."

"Umm, I actually came to thank you for something . . ." He said softly.

"For what?" She asked him with merged eyebrows.

He grinned at her, "For not going on that date with me, because if you had . . . I wouldn't have met Ally."

She smiled with excitement, "You met a girl? Jack, I'm so happy for you, I hope things turn out well for the two of you."

"I think they will. I'll, um, see you around Tammi." He said as he turned around with a smile and walked off.

A few minutes later, Sky and her father came to walk with her to the command center. That was a really awkward moment. Her father was being sullen, and that was never a good sign. Did he not like Sky? But he was so much like some her father's other friends not to mention a little like the former blue Zeo ranger himself that she didn't understand how he couldn't like him. Sky was distant. She had a feeling he sensed what was happening with her father, and didn't want to push his luck. She sighed, this did not look good for her.

They reached the Command Center and noticed her squad was there as well. This caused her confusion on where to stand. In the middle of her old squad? On the end of her new squad? She bit her lip and stood in between the two squad's. Could she do that? It didn't matter because she was going to. Michelle was here as well. She was standing in front of one of the computer monitors, pressing buttons systematically. It looked like she was checking for possible damages.

Where was Jack? He wasn't standing with B-squad. She saw Z glancing around the room for him, and Tammi did a little glancing as well, but Cruger and her father didn't seem to notice.

"Rangers, I've called you together to hear this . . . Jack Landors has left SPD." Commander Cruger said as he knew it were going to happen.

"He resigned?" Bridge asked in surprise.

"But why? He didn't even say goodbye." Syd asked with confusion.

"Doesn't surprise me, once something's over he's gone." Z stated with a bemused grin.

"Rangers for your true courage, heroism, and valor, in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds . . . . We, " Commander DeSantos said with a nod of recognition in Cruger's direction, "Are elevating you to A-squad."

Tammi bit her bottom lip and looked to her own squad. They looked a little miffed, and she could understand why. They had been B-squad before them, and they had been captured by Gruumm for several years. They should have at least gotten consideration first. Then she looked to her new squad, the newest members of her family, and saw that they didn't seem to excited about it. They were glancing at each other apprehensively.

"Did you hear me?" Her father asked them, "We're promoting you to A-squad."

"No, we heard you sir, it just doesn't feel right. Shouldn't they be considered before us?" Bridge asked as he looked at the former B-squad.

"And besides that, we talked it over . . . and you know what? We are B-squad. That's who we are, that's who we want to be." Sky said with a smile.

"Very well, B-squad it is." Cruger stated with a small smile, "Cadets DeSantos, Scott, Cranston, Johnson, Kayo, and Valertes you will be our new A-squad."

Now it was their turn to look apprehensive,

"With all do respect, sir . . . ." Robby began as he brown eyes flashed with sadness. The mention of A-squad seemed to remind him of what Charlie had done.

"We will have to decline, with gratitude of course." Lilly completed with a nod that caused a piece of silky platinum blond hair to fall if front of her eyes.

"What do you mean?" Rocky asked them skeptically.

"It wouldn't be fair to them, sir." Griffin answered stiffly and ran a hand through his striped head of hair.

Tammi beamed with pride, "If it wasn't for those five cadets, sir. All of us would still be in danger. To assign any of us a position above the other would be unjust."

Roxie nodded her Asian features looking as determined as ever, "I think we all deserve to see the same amount of action. After everything both teams have been through to send one into the field more than the other would be a mistake."

"What do you suggest we do then?" Commander Cruger asked.

"Couldn't we be like . . . one big squad or something?" Syd asked.

"Or just have two B-squad's and we can have shifts. That way we won't always have to work ourselves raged." Z suggested making her fatigue evident.

Rocky and Doggie grinned at each other. They had been worried that the two teams would conflict, but it seemed they were more than willing to work together. They glanced at Commander Birdie who stood in the back of the room.

"Sir?" Commander DeSantos asked his senior officer.

"I suppose we can make an exception . . ." The old bird agreed hesitantly.

"From this day forward they will be no A-squad." Commander DeSantos asked with a chuckle, but there was still something the cadets were confused about.

"Sir, now that you're back who's going to be the Commander?" Alex asked with a confused look in his black eyes.

Commander Birdie stepped forward, "Galactic Command as well as the rest of the Earth branch of SPD have decided to divide command duties in half. Commander DeSantos and Commander Cruger will make all of Earth SPD's decision together."

Tammi sighed happily, things were coming together nicely.

"There is still one problem," Cruger said as he looked to his B-squad, "You have no red ranger, you have no leader . . . Sky Tate step forward."

Tammi knew instantly, and a large smile graced her features as Sky took a step toward the commander.

"If I was to appoint Syd as Red Ranger would you follow her into battle?" The large dog asked.

"Sir, I'd follow anyone into battle that you felt worthy of wearing the color red." He answered as a grin twitched at the corners of his mouth. Syd smiled softly and nodded her approval of his answer.

"Congratulations Sky, you are the new red ranger." Cruger said as he handed Sky the red morpher, "Your father would be very proud of you."

She clapped excitedly for him, he deserved it, and they all knew it. She watched him as he studied his new morpher. He looked up at her and met her eyes. She smiled at him and nodded slowly.

Rocky knew that look, he'd given it to Maurhee plenty of times. It was a look of pride. A type of pride you can only have for someone you love deeply, and once again they same feeling of fear gripped him. He was losing his little girl.

A Time warp ripped open in the middle of the command center and they all said goodbye to Sam and Nova. Their help had been much appreciated. They all began to file out of the Command Center when Kat stopped them.

"Wait, what about their blue ranger, Doggie?" She gave him a knowing glance. He smiled and sent them back into the room.

"Bridge Carson," He said as he took a new morpher from Dr. Manx's hands, "You are the new blue ranger."

Michelle turned around and smiled happily at him, and gave him a wink.

"Michelle Oliver," Commander DeSantos suddenly called, "Would you step toward the center of the room, please."

Her eyes widened as she searched for some inkling of what she had done now. Was it because she went with Tammi to fight A-squad or because she boarded Gruumm's ship with Piggy? Whatever it was she doubted it was anything good.

"Due to your extreme courage and willingness to assist the rangers, we are promoting you to B-squad." Cruger said with a smile.

"Green ranger, none the less." Rocky DeSantos said with a knowing smirk, "Following in your father's footsteps, are you?"

She smiled in shock, "Me? You want me to be the green ranger? Dad is gonna flip."

Tammi laughed at her, but was quickly reminded of the one unpleasant task that awaited her father and Commander Cruger. Telling the parents of the traitorous A-squad their crimes. She glanced at Lily at least one reunion would be miraculously joyful, Katherine and Billy still thought their daughter was dead.

Her father walked passed her as he went to break the news to his friends. She grabbed his wrist and gave him a hug, "Good luck, daddy."

He touched a hand to the top of her head, and sighed, "Thanks, I'll need it."

They pulled apart and went separate directions. She smiled as she saw Sky waiting for her at the door of her apartment, which now belonged to her father again.

"Hey there, red ranger." She told him with a grin and wink as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

He placed his hands around her waist, "Hey yourself, so today's been a little crazy . . ."

"No today was an entire psychiatric's ward." She told him with a laugh.

"Yeah, I just-are you okay?" He asked her as he pulled her back to look her in the eye, "Cause a lot's happened to you especially, and . . ."

"I'm not entirely okay, but I will be . . . in time. For right now, my father, my team, and you are still alive and that's enough for me." She gave him a small smile and rested her head on his shoulder. She just wanted to enjoy the strength his arms gave her for right now.

"I don't think your father likes me very much . . ." Sky said thoughtfully.

"My father's not stupid. He can see how close we are . . . he just needs some time to get used to it, that's all."

"If you say so." He said skeptically.

"C'mon let's go inside. You probably need to call your mom and tell her your alive, too, by the way." She reminded him with a smirk.

"That might be a good idea." He said as he smiled in return and they walked through the door.

Tammi plopped down on the couch as Sky called his mother on the kitchen phone. She smiled and listened to Sky's voice as it sounded from behind her.

"Hey mom," He said with an audible grin, "It's okay mom, I'm alive, yes Tammi's alive too. . . Mom, everyone is alive. We are all fine . . . No, I'm at Tammi's, well I guess it's Tammi's dad's now . . . Yeah, Tammi found him, uh huh . . . I'm not sure . . ."

How could one person make you feel this much? She felt so safe and comfortable with him. He really was her best friend. And everything they had been through with Gruumm and Jack had only strengthened everything she felt for him. She was heels over head in love with Sky Tate. She could see a future with him. He was it for her, she knew this, she could feel in every part of her being. Now if she could find a way to make her father see that.

"Yeah, love you too, mom . . . bye." Sky said as he hung up the phone. He had watched her through out his entire phone conversation, and never stopped smiling. He couldn't help it. At the moment life was perfect. He was in a blissful state that just wouldn't go away. How did he find himself here? How did he find himself so in love with someone? He had wanted to focus on SPD so he had closed himself off from relationships and decided that distractions were the last thing he needed, but since the moment Tammi DeSantos had appeared in his life that philosophy had been slipping away from him. Matter of fact he had all but chucked it out the window. Now she was no longer the distraction, SPD was the distraction. And she needed to know that.

That's why Sky did what he did. That's why he promptly marched to the couch and brought his lips crashing down on hers.

What could she do about it? Nothing, she had lost all willpower to stop him despite the nagging voice in the back of her head that warned her that her father might be arriving back at he apartment soon. No, she was powerless to stop herself now.

And that's how Commander Rocky DeSantos found them when he walked through the door. In a heated make out session on his couch. He immediately cleared his throat.

Tammi's eyes shot open, and she shoved Sky off of her. Causing him to fall on the floor, "Daddy!"

She stood from the couch and helped Sky to his feet,

"Hello, sir." Sky said guiltily.

"Uh . . . we were just . . ."

"I saw what you 'were just'." Rocky told his daughter sternly.

"I'd appreciate it, Tate, if you would take yourself back your own quarters. I need to speak with my daughter." He said coldly as he held the door open and motioned for Sky to exit.

"Of course, sir." He said with a slight blush as he headed to the door, "I'll see you later, Tammi."

She nodded a soft smile, "Yeah, later."

Rocky waited till the door closed before he said, "What the hell do you think you were doing, young lady?"

"Daddy, I'm not fifteen anymore, I'm twenty years old."

"and that suddenly means you're allowed to make out with strange men in my house."

"Strange men? Daddy, Sky is not a Strange man. I've been dating him for nearly six months now . . . and I love him."

"You said the same thing about Xander." He told her with a parental glare.

"Sky is different. He's not Xander. Sky and I have been through so much together . . . with you and Brandon and mom gone . . . he was the only thing keeping me sane."

"I don't want you to see him again." He said hotly.

"How can you not understand?" She yelled, "You always told me that you knew mom was the one for you the minute you started dating her, and you started dating her in High School! Sky is it for me, dad. Sky is the guy. And I'm going to stay with him. Can't you see that?"

He looked away from her angrily, and then spoke softly, "Galactic Command is sending you on a mission."

"What?" She asked in shock, "Daddy what did you do?"

"You are going on a mission to Phaedos with the new Omega prototype." He said as he ignored her last reaction, "They ask for the best ranger I had, and I recommended you."

"No, I won't go. I won't. Things just returned to normal, and now I have to leave again?"

"If you're as in love with him as you say you are then nothing will change." He told her as his hostility changed to sympathy. Of course he could see how in love the two of them were. It vaguely reminded him of himself and Tammi's mother. That's why this mission was necessary.

"For how long?" She asked in a voice barely above a whisper.

"That all depends on you and Omega Ranger."

"What will we be doing? You're picking up two people from witness protection."

"Witness protection?" She asked, and it now sounded as if she were going to cry. His heart broke at the sound. She would understand later, he kept telling himself.

"Gruumm had wanted them both dead. SPD had to send them away for their own protection, and now that he has been safely apprehended Commander Birdie has given permission to go after them."

"So, all we have to do is go and find these people and bring them back?" She asked.

"That's all, and then sooner you get them, the sooner you can come back." He told her as his anger evaporated, "I'm sorry, Flamebird, but you'll understand someday . . ."

"No, I won't understand. I will never understand this, were you just looking for some way to split us up? Is that it? Well, congratulations you work very fast." She told him as she stormed out of the apartment.

He sighed, sat down on the couch, and rested his head in his hands. Oh how he wished her mother were here.

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_what do you think? I haven't got as much response lately as I had hoped, since I am nearing the end of a story. But it's all good. I just hope you're enjoying what you read._

_Thank you to everyone who has been reviewing my stories lately it is much appreciated._

_Enjoy!_

_angellwings_


	19. Mission Impossible

The Return

Chapter 19: Mission Impossible

by angellwings

She ran down the halls to the east wing cadet's rooms. She swallowed back her tears. Why would he do this? The last thing she wanted right now was to leave. Everything had just returned to normal and she was being forced to leave? It wasn't fair.

She stopped in front of Sky and Bridge's door, "Please be here."

She knocked on the door, "Sky? Sky? Are you there? I need to talk to you, please?"

Sky stepped out of the bathroom wearing sweatpants and a T-shirt. He had a toothbrush shoved in his mouth. She sounded upset. He took the toothbrush out of his mouth to respond as she spoke up again.

"Sky?" She asked softly as he could hear here choke back a sob.

He rushed to the door, What happened?

"Tammi?" He asked as the door slid open.

"Sky!" She cried as she practically jumped into his arms. Is brow furrowed as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"What happened?" He whispered in her ear.

"I can't believe him, why would he do this!" She yelled tearfully as she pulled away from him and began to pace.

"Tammi, who did what?" He asked patiently as he sat down on the bed adjacent from her pacing.

"My father!" She said angrily as the pacing sped up.

"The two of you got into an argument, didn't you?"

"He told me I couldn't see you anymore! What was I supposed to do? Smile and nod?" She asked sarcastically.

"He said that?"

"Yeah, and when I told him that wasn't going to happen he . . ."

Sky eyed her carefully, she was hesitant to tell him, "He what?"

"He told me Galactic Command was sending me on a mission by his recommendation! He's practically kicking me out." She said angrily as she stopped pacing.

"A mission?" Sky asked as he visibly paled.

"Yeah," She said as her anger faded away and was replaced by sadness. She sat down on the bed beside Sky.

"To where?" He asked with a gulp.

"Phadoes, we have to pick up some people that went into hiding after Gruumm attacked Earth for the first time."

"We?" He asked making sure his gaze stayed on the floor.

"Me and the Omega Prototype Ranger." She said as she rested her head on Sky's shoulder, "The worst part is, it's an open ended mission. How ever long it takes is however long I'm gone. I could be a two weeks or it could be two years."

"Does he hate me that much?" Sky asked as he looked down at Tammi.

"I don't know. I thought maybe after I talked to him he would get over it, but at the moment I have no idea what's going on in his head." She said disdainfully.

"What are you going to do?" He asked as he wrapped an arm around her.

"What choice do I have? I have to go." She said with a sigh, "I'll just work really fast, and get it done quickly. How long can it take to pick two people up from a deserted planet?"

"I'm afraid that there is more to it than he told you." Sky said warily.

"I hope not," She said, "Can I stay here . . . with you . . . tonight? I can't go back there, not now."

"Yeah, of course you can." He told her with a small smile, "You do know that, however long you're gone, I'll be here when you get back."

She smiled brightly at him for the first time that night, "I know."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Today was the day. She was leaving for Phaedos on a regulation SPD flyer. The trip to Phaedos would take three days. She had all the facts, even where they would find these two people they had to pick up. She had all the facts but who it was that operated the Omega Prototype suit.

She had barely spoken to her father since he told her about this mission two days ago, and now he here was attempting to say goodbye to her. Sky stood beside her with his hand intertwined in hers.

Suddenly a familiar figure appeared from behind her father, _no way_, she thought, _of all people they could stick me on this mission with . . ._

"Xander." She mumbled to herself as she observed him with wide eyes. He had been her first boyfriend. She broke up with only two weeks before she had been captured. They parted on semi-good terms. They had simply gotten sick of each other, it had been too much. They worked together, and dated each other, not to mention their families were good friends. They saw each other all the time.

He smiled with all the Plata family charm he could muster. He was definitely Zhane's son. His platinum blond hair almost looked silver from far away. He rushed her before she could protest. Swept her up and spun her around.

"Tammi! Can you believe we're going on this mission together? Of all people your father could have chosen . . ."

"Yes, of all people." She said in bored tone, "Xander this is my boyfriend, Sky Tate."

"Oh, yeah? Nice to meet you. She's a handful isn't she?" He asked with a good natured grin.

"I'm sorry, who are you?" Sky asked with an arched eyebrow.

"Xander, the ex, and Prototype Omega Ranger."

"Ex? As in ex-boyfriend?" Sky asked in shock.

"That's me, famous am I?"

"Drop it Xander." Tammi said with a warning glare.

"Touchy." He said with a chuckle as he walked back over to his and her father.

"Does your father intend on something happening between the two of you?" Sky asked with a jealous tint to his voice.

"I don't care what he 'intends' it's not happening. I broke up with Xander for a reason, and believe me that reason still stands." She told him as she wrapped her arms around his neck and slipped her fingers in his hair.

Sky smiled at her, "It better . . ."

She laughed, "I better go, we launch in five minutes."

"I'll see you when you get back," He said as he kissed her passionately.

She pulled back breathlessly, "Beleive me, I'll hurry."

He grinned at her kissed her quickly once more.

"If I don't go now, I never will." She told him with a laugh as she pulled away from him.

"That's fine with me." He told her with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

She smiled, "Sky, I have to go."

He sighed, "I know, just be careful."

"I will." She told him as she let go of his hand and slowly walked away.

He watched as she nodded a cold goodbye to her father and boarded the flyer. Commander DeSantos turned and stared at him blankly. Sky sighed, he had a feeling his days were going to start getting longer, "Please, wrap this mission up quickly."

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_lol, wow I have been updating a lot. I am on the ball with this one. At this rate I'll have it finished in no time._

_Next time it will pick up on the way to Phaedos. The story is almost over._

_I have WAY too much free time._

_Enjoy! _

_angellwings_


	20. Complications

The Return

Chapter Twenty: Complications

by angellwings

"Hey, babe, dreaming about me?" Xander asked flirtatiously with the family charm.

"Will you stop flirting for two minutes and just be a friend, Xan?" She asked in a growl.

She was tired of him constantly hitting on her. She needed a friend not a suitor. Besides she had a boyfriend, a rather wonderful boyfriend. Xander's smile faded, and he glanced sympathetically at his friend.

"Sorry, I'm just . . . not used to, well, us not being us." He said as he ran a hand through his silvery locks.

"It's okay, but at the moment I really need the guy I grew up with, not the guy I dated." She said with a sigh.

He nodded, "Problems between Tate and your dad, huh?"

"That would be an understatement." She said as she clenched her jaw, "He practically banished me to keep me away from him."

"C'mon, T, you know your dad. Would he really abuse his position? He wouldn't send you, or me, on this mission unless he thought you were the best choice." He said as he propped him self on the window seat and sat in front of her.

She sighed and gazed out at the stars wizzing by them.

"Give the guy a break. I mean he finally finds you after nearly six years only to find out that you're not completely his little girl anymore. Heck I don't even have a kid, and I know I'd flip." He said rationally.

She stared at him for a minute. He was actually making sense.

He jumped off the window seat, "We'll be landing on Phaedos this evening."

She stared after him as he walked back toward the cockpit. _He is right._

_And he's barely gotten to spend any time with me sense._

When this mission was over she was scheduling some father-daughter time, and possible some Sky-father time.

_If dad doesn't work him ragged first._

* * *

As soon as the ship landed she rushed Xander out into the coastal wilderness of Phaedos. 

"Not in much of a hurry are you?" He asked sarcastically.

"I have to get home and fix things, so I want this done as soon as possible."

The hiked over the rocks and the coast. They stopped momentarily to enjoy the dual moon sunset, and then rushed off toward the Ninjetti Temple agian.

Xander glanced at Tammi hesitantly as they came to the entrance of a canyon.

"Morph?" He asked her warily.

She nodded, "Morph."

"SPD Emergency!"

They both appeared in their spandex uniforms. They marched slowly through the canyon and scanned for any threat. Suddenly Xander was knocked to the ground, and a cloaked figure stood before them,

"Go home now, if you wish to live."

"I'm afraid that's a tad bit impossible." Tammi said as she helped Xander up, "Look we don't want trouble all we want is to pick up two people that Space Patrol Delta left her several years ago for protection and . . ."

He rushed her and slammed her to the ground with his wooden staff. He pressed the end of it to her Adam's apple.

"Go home now, if you wish to live."

She sighed, "I told you, buddy, that's just not possible."

He pressed the stick against her throat harder and effortlessly fought off Xander's attempts to free her. While all of this was going on Tammi snaked her feet around the man's ankle, and jerked him down. She hopped up and grabbed his staff as it fell, and pressed it against his own throat. In the struggle his left sleeve had been pushed back and his hood fell off. She gasped as she recognized the man on the ground before her. His left robotic arm glistened in the light as a blue hydraulic fluid ran through the clear tubing.

"Drake," She whispered.

"You have the spirit of the Cheetah with in you, young one." He said with a grin, "You must be Maurhee's daughter. We've been expecting you."

"You . . . you have?" Xander asked him apprehensively. His father had told him about Drake. He had been seduced by Ooze's power when the rangers fought the ugly purple monster for the second time. His friendship with Tammi's mother had been what had saved him in the end.

"Are you going to take us to them or not?" She asked him impatiently as she let him up.

"I'm afraid more is necessary if you wish to retrieve them." He told them with only remnants of his previous grin, "The two humans you seek have become invaluable to me. If you plan to take them away you must find me replacements to take up their tasks."

Xander glared at the man, "And how exactly do we do that?"

"You must go to the Desert of Despair and find Ninjor. He will show you the chosen replacements. You shall find them and bring them here, only then will I release the humans to you." He said as all traces of amusement vanished.

Tammi closed her eyes, "Please tell me you're joking."

"I'm afraid not, Orange Ranger." He said as he stuck out a hand in her direction, "Do we have a deal?"

She sighed and slipped her hand in his, "We don't exactly have a choice."

"Good, now you best be on your way. You will receive no more trouble from me, I assure you." He said with a nod as he slipped his hood back on, "Farewell and good luck."

And with that he retreated back into the darkness of the canyon.

"Damn, I thought this was going to be simple." Maurhee cursed as she and Xander made their way back to the flyer.

* * *

_TA DA! Chapter 20! bunches more to come! I hope you like it!_

_Drake was in my story Memories check it out! I'll be making a lot more references to it in the future!_

_Enjoy!_

_angellwings_


	21. The Lion and the Bear

The Return

by angellwings

Chapter 21: The Lion and the Bear

This had not been a good day. They made their way to the desert of despair as soon as possible. They didn't even stop to report their progress to the base. They nearly got their asses kicked on the way to finding Ninjor, and now they stood in the middle of an empty room with no signs of this Ninjor guy any where.

"I'm through playing games with you people!" Tammi yelled in frustration, "I just want to finish this mission and go home!"

She sighed when nothing happened.

"I don't think yelling at him is going to convince him to help us." Xander told her with a grin.

"I don't care. I'm not going to wait forever for the great Ninjor." She said sarcastically as she rolled her eyes.

"How dare you speak of me that way!" boomed a strange, nasally voice, "I've got a mind not help you."

Xander chuckled, "She didn't mean it, Ninjor. She's just not in a good mood."

Tammi huffed, "I didn't mean to insult you, and I promise I won't do it again. Will you please help us?"

Suddenly fog was pouring put of a large vase in front of them. Images from the show "I Dream of Jeannie" sprang to mind, and she grinned inwardly.

"Ninjor at your service." cried his unique voice.

"Drake sent us. He said you could tell us who is supposed to replace the two humans that are currently working for him." Xander said with a small smile.

"Ah, yes, I can. The cheetah and the hawk will be succeeded by the lion and the bear." He said with a nod.

"The lion and the bear? I'm sorry but could you maybe give us some names?" Tammi asked with borderline irritation.

Ninjor nodded, "Maya and Cole. I believe you will find Maya on the planet Mirinoi and Cole in the town known as Turtle Cove."

"Former rangers . . ." Xander whispered to Tammi in shock. She nodded in return.

"Thank you for your help Ninjor." Tammi told him with a handshake.

"Your very welcome, daughter of the cheetah and the ape." He said merrily as though he had not spouted nonsense.

"Uh, yeah . . ." She said with a strange look as she pulled her hand out of his, "We'll just be going now."

She yanked Xander out of the cave before he could even say good bye.

"Why do people keep calling me cheetah?" She asked him as they reached the Flyer.

"I don't know, but didn't he call one of the people we're rescuing cheetah? 'the cheetah and the hawk' isn't that what he said?" Xander asked as he scratched his brow.

"I don't know, this whole mission is way too weird for my taste. Let's just find these people and go home." Tammi said as she jogged toward the cockpit.

"We need to call the base, and let them know what's going on." Xander told her as he began to follow.

She nodded in agreement and pressed the necessary buttons until her father's face appeared before them. She could see Sky and the rest of the now ten person B-squad behind him, and Cruger stood to her father's right.

"Are you on your way home, Officers?" Her father asked expectantly

"Unfortunately not, sir." She replied dutifully, "In order to retrieve these people we have to track down the replacements that have been chosen for them."

Her father's eyes went wide, "That's not how this was supposed to go down."

Xander sighed, "Well if we are to complete this mission it appears we have no choice, sir."

"He said this would be a simple pick up." Rocky DeSantos said apologetically.

"Now it's a wild goose chase." Tammi said sarcastically as her eyes drifted toward Sky. He was watching her as well. He smiled softly at her when he noticed her looking at him.

"Do what you must officers." Her father said. He cleared his throat and hesitantly glanced back at Sky and then stared directly at Tammi, "I trust your judgment."

Tammi's brow furrowed as the transmission was cut. Was he trying to tell her he approved of Sky? Was that his way of apologizing? She looked to Xander for an oppinion, "What was that?"

"I'd say, Tate's been busy trying to get on your dad's good side." He answered, "And it worked."

"That's what I was hoping you'd say." She said with a bright smile. Maybe this mission wasn't such a bad thing after all.

* * *

"You've been working on Tammi's dad, I see." Z smirked. 

"I didn't want him to hate me for the rest of my life." Sky told her simply.

"I'm sure Tammi will be thrilled." Z said as she sat down beside him in the common room.

"Speaking of, how is the surprise party coming?" He asked as he lowered his book.

"It's all set. All that's left to decide is when, and that depends on when her mission is over."

"Commander DeSantos wants to see you in his office, by the way." Sky told her with a grin.

"Me? Why?" She asked him curiously.

"I think he wants in on the party." Sky told her with a chuckle.

Her eyes widened with amused shock, "Really?"

"I told him about it and he seemed really excited." Sky answered with a chuckle.

A few moments of silence passed between them, "Have you ever noticed that he still wears his wedding band?"

Sky glanced over at Z, he hadn't really, but now that he thought about it . . .

"Does your mother still wear her wedding band?" She asked him.

"Not on her finger. She wears it on a chain around her neck." He said as he stared thoughtfully ahead.

"He seemed really disappointed when Tammi said the mission would take longer than expected . . ." Z said as if she were turning over an idea in her head.

At the time Sky had chalked it up to him missing his daughter, and that was probably a part of it. But it seemed like there was so much more to it than that, "I wonder why they're being so secretive about who these two people are?"

Z shook her head, "I don't know, but I've been wondering about that for a while now. It's like every one around here is holding their breath for something . . ."

At that moment Robby walked into the room. Sky smiled at the young man. He was the same age as Tammi and Z but had amazing leadership skills. Sky held a certain amount of respect for him. Z looked away from him and her cheeks reddened slightly. Sky eyed her suspisciously.

He cleared his throat as he came to stand in front of them, "Um, Z, I was wondering if I could speak with you in the hallway . . ."

"Er, yeah, of course." She said as she hopped up with a little too much excitement.

Sky grinned and hid his face behind his book as they left the room. Tammi would have loved to have seen this.

His grin faltered when he thought of Tammi. He knew part of the reason Rocky had sent her away. Brandon and the others were appealing to Galactic Command, they claimed to have realized their crimes. Commander DeSantos had seen this coming, and didn't want Tammi to be tortured by it. Lilly and Robby were struggling enough as it was.

The A-squad's families knew that whatever excuses they gave for their actions were merely ways to manipulate their way out of containment.

He had never seen a stronger bunch of people than the veteran rangers of earth.

But Sky had a feeling that Commander DeSantos put Tammi on this mission for more than just that reason. It must have something to do with the people they're bringing back, but what?

* * *

_Chapter 21, I hope you like it! I probably gave a lot away in this chapter to people who read my other story, but oh well. ;)_

_Thanks for the reviews guys!_

_Enjoy!_

_angellwings_


	22. The Exhausted Bear

The Return

by angellwings

Chapter 22: The Exhausted Bear

"Cole Evans, widower, age 44, no children, works as a Veterinarian in Turtle Cove." Xander read aloud from the computer file SPD sent them.

"Widower? Who was his wife?" She asked with a furrowed brow.

"Alyssa Enrile Evans, former white Wild Force Ranger, died in the battle against Mirloc in New Tech City." He said as he raised his right eyebrow.

"She wasn't an SPD officer, what was she doing fighting Mirloc?" Tammi asked in confusion. She wasn't aware that anyone other than her mother and Sky's father had been killed in that battle.

"The report says that her and her husband were visiting headquarters when the attack happened . . . and she just couldn't stay out of it. She saved the A-squad Pink Ranger, Tori Hanson." Xander said sadly

She was silent for a moment out of respect, any civilian who would willingly risk their life was something much more than hero, "And Maya?"

"Just says that she was the former yellow Galaxy Ranger and lives on Mirinoi with her native tribe. She hasn't left since the colony landed there." Xander said unbelievably.

"Who should we visit first? Maya or Cole?"

"Maya might be easier to convince. Cole might be slightly bitter about SPD." Xander said with a sigh.

"Okay, so I guess we're heading to Mirinoi." She said as she punched in the planet's coordinates.

* * *

They arrived in Mirinoi two days later, and were met at the landing dock by Leo Corbet. The Colony's current Governor, and former Galaxy red ranger.

"Xander!" Leo said jovially as he approached them.

"Hey, Uncle Leo, hows business?" Xander asked as he shook hands with him.

"Calm, amazingly enough." He said with a grin as he turned to face Tammi, "Tammi DeSantos? Rocky and Maurhee's daughter?"

She smiled, "Yeah, that's me."

"We were all sorry to hear about your brother. Power tempts the best of us, I suppose." He said sympathetically as he squeezed Tammi's shoulder.

She swallowed and smiled sadly, "I guess so."

Xander wrapped an arm around her shoulders and squeezed them to offer support. She nodded and he removed his arm.

"So, Why didn't mom ever introduce me to this Maya chick?" Xander asked curiously.

"Because Maya became the leader of her tribe. She doesn't exactly have that much time to socialize anymore." Leo said with a resentful undertone.

"Great," Tammi said sarcastically, "Maybe we should have gone to Cole first."

"No, it's almost time for her to retire, and pass on her role in the tribe." Leo told them reassuringly, "The Maya I knew would be more than willing to help. Especially you two. The son of one her best friends and the daughter of the woman who helped save our lives during Ivan's second attack. Besides Cole hasn't exactly spoken to any other rangers since Alyssa passed. You'll need Maya to help convince him."

"Thanks for helping us, Uncle Leo." Xander said with a respectful nod.

"Not a problem, those two have been gone too long anyway."

Tammi's head snapped up, "You know who they are?"

"I shouldn't have said that." Leo said with a sigh.

"So, you're not going to tell us either?" Xander asked with a grin.

"I'm not allowed, sorry." He said with a deeply apologetic tone.

"So where do we find Maya?" Tammi asked with resignation.

"We called her here actually. I'm taking you to meet Kendrix and then she's going to take you to the conference room where Maya is waiting."

They nodded and followed Leo through the Colony's base of command. They entered a lab that resembled the SPD labs in New Tech, and their stood a pretty blond woman with a rectangular pair of eye glasses. She looked up from her work and smiled.

"Hey" She said as she walked over to her husband and kissed him gently on the lips. He pulled away and cleared his throat.

"Kendrix," He said awkwardly, "This is Tammi DeSantos."

"Oh, hello." She said with an unembarrassed smile, "It's nice to finally meet you. You look exactly like your mother."

Tammi and Kendrix shook hands.

"Thank you," She said shyly.

"Well, let's get the two of you to Maya, and you back to work." She said as she turned to Leo, "You've got a meeting with NASADA in exactly one minute."

Leo's eyes widened as he scrambled out of the room. Kendrix smiled at her husband's retreating form, "He forgets all of his appointments. If it wasn't for Kai and myself he would be out of a job."

Tammi was already inclined to like Kendrix, and once again she longed to get back to Sky.

Kendrix sighed and brought herself back to reality, "Hey Xan, how are you?"

She hugged her "nephew" tight.

He grinned, "I'm fine. SPD has been keeping me busy, but I'm fine."

"Good," She said with a smile, "Now if the two of you will follow me we'll start your meeting with Maya."

* * *

Xander and Tammi entered the room and were immediately introduced to Maya. She smiled graciously at them as they sat down. She looked older than Leo or Kendrix despite the fact that they knew they were the same age. She looked extremely tired as well. There were bags under her eyes. Tammi guessed she was work weary.

"What did you wish to speak to me about?" She asked them curiously.

"Well, you see we were sent on a mission to retrieve to people from Witness protection, but in order to do that we were told to find two certain people to replace them. You were one of those people. From what we understand you will guard the Ninjetti Temple of Phaedos." Tammi explained as simply as possible.

"The Ninjetti, I've heard of them. Your parents were Ninjetti." She said to Tammi with a nod.

"They were?" She asked cluelessly.

Maya nodded.

"Will you help us?" Xander asked.

"I shall have to appoint a successor, and explain the situation to the tribe." She answered dutifully, "You will have to give me a few days."

"How many days?" Tammi asked hopefully.

"Three at the very least."

"Done." She agreed with a satisfied sigh.

"Very well, I will be back in three days time, and then we will leave to find Cole." She said as she stood from her chair, "I was nice to meet the two of you. Enjoy your time on Mirinoi."

"We will" Xander told her with a charming smile as they watched her leave the room, "That was easy."

Tammi laughed, "Yeah, I wonder why she was so eager to join us . . ."

"I don't know, but we'll find out sooner or later." Xander told her with a nod.

* * *

_It's a short chapter I know, but it was necessary. _

_Maya seemed to be the one who would be the most eager to do something like this._

_Next chapter: Cole._

_I can't wait!_

_Enjoy!_

_angellwings_


	23. The Wounded Lion

The Return

by angellwings

Chapter 23: The Wounded Lion

"Goodbye mother, I wish you all the luck in the world." A young woman said to Maya with a tearful hug.

"You're the one that will need the luck, Talia." Maya told her daughter with a kind smile, "Take care of the tribe. They will rely on you for everything now. If you need any help Leo and Kendrix will be here for you."

"I know, mother. I love you." She said as she kissed her mother on the cheek.

"I love you too, Tali." Maya said as she gently brushed the girl's hair away from her eyes.

The girl, Talia, slowly turned and walked away. She glared and Xander and Tammi as she passed.

"We make enemies fast." Xander said with raised eyebrows.

"We're taking away her mother, Xan, I'd hate us too." Tammi said sympathetically as they approached the flyer. They smiled at Maya as they drew near.

"Are you ready to go?" Xander asked as the door slid open.

"Yes, of course." She said as she walked onto the ship.

"Can I ask you a question?" Tammi asked curiously as they all sat down and strapped themselves in.

"What would you like to know?" She asked pleasantly.

"Why were you so eager to leave? Especially since you've got your daughter and your tribe here."

"I want some semblance of relaxation, and Mirinoi can't supply that. Everything the tribe wants me to do for them is exhausting, and I can't take it anymore. It's long past time for me to leave the tribe, and Talia is well beyond prepared to take over." She explained with a sigh as they launched from Mirinoi, "When will we reach Earth?"

"Five days, and then we'll have to drive to Turtle Cove from the NASADA base." Xander said with exasperation, "And who knows how long it will take Cole to make a decision."

Tammi sighed, "We've been on this mission for . . . eight days now. We have five days till we reach Turtle Cove, and then if we convince Cole that's three more days to Phaedos, and then three more days back to home. So this mission will last for at least eleven more days. Xan, I just want to go home."

"I know, T, I know." He said softly, "I do too."

* * *

Five days later they landed at NASADA and were given a Jeep Cherokee. They drove half a day through Angel Grove and Mariner Bay. She smiled to herself as they passed through Angel Grove. This is where she and Sky had their first date. She never thought he would take her there, but she was glad he did. She had chattered a mile a minute that day. She couldn't help herself. She had so much to tell him about this place. She sighed happily as she was consumed by her memories. 

"You okay over there, T?" Xander asked with an amused smile.

She cleared her throat and straightened in her seat, "I'm fine."

Maya smiled at her from the backseat, "Is there someone you miss?"

"Well . . . yeah, theres lots of people that I miss." She answered vaguely.

Maya chuckled, "No, I mean a certain someone."

She sighed in resignation, "Yeah, but this mission is keeping me from him."

"I know how that is . . ." Maya said as she trailed off.

"Umm . . . I don't mean to be rude or intrusive, but your daughter . . . I mean who . . . uh . . ."

"Who's the father?" She asked with an amused grin.

"Um, yeah." Tammi said as her cheeks flushed a little.

"Mike Corbett." She said with a wistful smile.

Her eyes widened. Her mother had been friends with Mike Corbett, or at least thats what she had heard. But she had never heard anything about Mike and _Maya_. As a matter of fact she had barely ever heard Maya's name.

* * *

The rest of the ride to Turtle Cove was silent. It seemed everyone was swimming in their memories. Tammi sighed hesitantly, as they walked toward the door of Cole's Veterinary office. 

The three of them marched into the office and we're greeted by the suspicious face of a secretary.

"Can I help you?"

"We would like to speak with Mr. Evans, please." Tammi said with a friendly smile.

"Do you have an appointment?" She asked grumpily.

Xander sighed and flashed his SPD badge, "We would like to speak to Mr. Evans, it's urgent."

"Alright, wait here and I'll get him." She said as she begrudgingly stood and walked into the back office.

"Gee, this is gonna go really well." Tammi said sarcastically.

"Let me talk to him." Maya said as she rested a hand on Tammi's shoulder, "He's not exactly fond of SPD."

"He'll see you now." She said with a resentful sigh.

Maya nodded and walked into the office alone.

* * *

Cole grinned as Maya entered the office, "Maya . . . but Jan said there were SPD officers . . ." 

"There are. It's Zhane and Karone's son and Maurhee and Rocky's youngest." Maya said as she casually sat down in one of the arm chairs in front of his desk.

"I don't understand, then why are you . . ."

"They're on a mission. They have been sent to pick up two people from witness protection on Phaedos. Only when they got there **Drake** informed them they would have to find him replacements for those people, and Ninjor picked us." She stated as simply as possible while emphasizing a certain meaning to him.

"You mean they're actually allowing Mau-"

"Shh, Tammi and Xander don't know who they are picking up, and I think Rocky would prefer it stay that way." Maya said urgently.

"So, SPD wants . . ."

"Not SPD, Drake and Ninjor."

"Right." He said sarcastically, "SPD wants me to drop everything and banish myself to Phaedos? I don't think so."

Maya sighed, "You know they are not to blame for Alyssa's death. No one could have stopped her from going out there. Rhee and Tori tried to shield her from that blow, you know that."

He shifted his gaze away from her and placed it on the wall.

"Fine, then don't do it for SPD. Do it for Maurhee. She saved Princess Shayla on Triforia all those years ago remember? She's the one who told Tommy to include you in all of that 'Forever Red' business, and . . . she gave up her freedom trying to save Alyssa." She pleaded.

He focused slowly back on Maya, "Fine, I'll do it. For Rhee, though, not SPD."

"Good because we both know theres no one better to guard animal spirits than the two of us." She told him with a hug and a smile

He smiled and returned her gesture, "Just tell them I need a day to straighten things out, and explain my sudden absence."

She nodded, "We'll pick you up tomorrow night."

He nodded and opened the door to the waiting room for her, "See you tomorrow, Maya."

He nodded curtly to the two SPD officers waiting anxiously in the room before him. A smile tugged at his lips has he noticed how much Rocky's daughter looked like her mother. With the exception of her chocolate brown eyes she looked exactly like Rhee had the first time he met her.

* * *

"So?" Tammi asked Maya anxiously as the approached their SUV. 

"He's coming, and we're picking him up at his house tomorrow night." Maya said with a small smile and a nodd.

"I could have sworn he was going to refuse." Xander said in shock.

"Never lose faith in people Xander. They will always surprise you." Maya told him as she placed a hand on his shoulder.

"We're picking him up tomorrow night? So where are we gonna stay tonight?" Tammi asked flatly.

"I know a place." The former yellow ranger said with a smile.

Maya directing them through the small town until they pulled up in front of a local bed and breakfast.

"Max and Danny's World Traveler's Inn?" Tammi asked skeptically.

"Ranger business is always treated with confidentiality and most of the time your stay is complementary." Maya said with a wink.

"Complementary?" Xander asked with a grin.

"If you can prove you're on ranger business." Maya said as Xander parked the car.

As soon as Maya walked through the door she was greeted with a bear hug from Danny, and they were all immediately escorted to guest rooms. Danny and Max chatted non stop about their own adventures as rangers as they walked them to there rooms. Every now and then one of them would ask a question but they would move the conversation along before anyone could answer. Xander and Tammi grinned secretively at each other as the former rangers regaled them with their stories.

Maya was the first to be dropped off at her room, and Tammi was the second. As soon as she was inside her room she sighed happily and relished the silence. Max and Danny seemed like nice guys, but every now and then it was okay NOT to speak.

She settled on her bed, and laid back. She was about to drift off when there was a knock at her door. She groaned and got up to answer the door. The door swung open and the warm smile of a beautiful woman greeted her.

"Hello, sorry to bother you, but I'm here to put fresh flowers in your vase."

"Oh, right, come on in." Tammi said as she stepped to the side so she could enter.

"Are you one of Danny's friends?"

Tammi eyed her warily.

"I'm his wife, Kendall." She said with an outstretched hand and a smile.

"Oh . . ." Tammi said in realization, "I'm Tammi, it's nice to meet you."

Kendall glanced at Tammi's SPD badge, "Are you here on business?"

"Yeah, and your husband and Max were kind enough to let us stay here. We've been delayed a day so we didn't exactly plan on an overnight stay." Tammi said with a smile.

Kendall walked over to the night stand and replaced the wilted tulips with bright and healthy ones, and walked back toward the door, "Well enjoy your stay, and good luck with your mission."

"Thank you. It was wonderful to meet you." Tammi said as Kendall walked off and she closed the door.

Tammi sighed and collapsed into her bed. They had approximately seven to ten days left. She wanted to get home. She had a father to apologize to and an incredibly hot boyfriend to make out with.

* * *

that's all of chapter 23, finally! I feel like this chapter has taken forever! Anyways, I hope you like it! Please review people! And I am still suggesting that you read (and review) Memories: the Orange Ranger Story. 

Enjoy!

angellwings


	24. The Cheetah and the Hawk

The Return

Chapter 24: The Cheetah and the Hawk

by angellwings

The four of them loaded into the flyer in silence. Cole had a grumpy and disgruntled air about him which kept Xander and Tammi from speaking to him. Maya only whispered to him occasionally, and smiled graciously at him every now and then.

Awkwardness seemed to soak everything.

"So, Tammi, I haven't had a chance to ask until now, but how is Rocky?" Maya asked in attempt to shake off the stiffness in the room.

"He's fine, I guess . . ." She answered thoughtfully, "When I reported in this morning he seemed anxious about something . . ."

Maya and Cole exchanged mysterious glances.

"He's probably just worried about the two of you." Maya said unconvincingly.

"Yeah, probably." She answered suspiciously with a quick look over at Xander.

* * *

"You wanted to see me, sir?" Sky asked as he approached Commander DeSantos' office. He was surprised to see both Commanders in the room.

"Officer Tate, please have a seat." Rocky said as he motioned to the empty chair beside of Cruger.

He nodded and sat down nervously.

"Sky, what is your mother doing now?" Rocky asked curiously.

"She's retired, sir, but she does work part time at Florist shop in Silver City." He said with out a hint as to why he was being asked this question.

"Is it possible for her to get to the base with in the next three days?" Crugar asked from beside him.

"I think so, I'll have to call her and see, but I suppose she could. If you don't mind me asking, sir, why does she need to be here?" Sky asked.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you as of yet Officer Tate. You'll know soon enough." Commander DeSantos said as he inhaled a slow breath, "That's all, you're dismissed."

Sky nodded to his Commanders and stood to leave.

"And Sky, tell the others that we will be receiving A-squads and Commanders from other bases over the next couple of days. You all should be on your best behavior." Crugar commanded sternly.

"Of course, sir." Sky said with an SPD salute, and then quickly exited the office. He needed Tammi's opinion on these new events.

* * *

The intercom in her tiny sleeping quarters came alive with Xander voice, "Tammi, theres a transmission for you on the way."

"Thanks, Xan. Can you transfer it to my data pad?"

"Sure thing, just wait a second."

She scrambled over and snatched up her data pad. This could only be one of two people. Her dad or Sky. She would be thrilled to actually TALK to either one. She'd only talked to her dad about SPD business since she left, and her and Sky had only ever acknowledged each other when she reported in. Suddenly a pixelated picture appeared on the pad and slowly revealed itself to be Sky. She smiled brightly as the feed finally started.

"Hey," he said softly with an easy grin.

"Hey yourself, so what's going on?" She asked him expectantly.

"Your dad wants my mom present when ever you all arrive back at the base." Sky said with an arched eyebrow.

"For what? What can she possibly have to do with witness protection clients?" Tammi asked as she thought aloud.

"I have no clue, but I also looked up the shuttle schedules, and the A-squads and Commanders from the Karovian, Nebula, and Triforian bases are coming in late tomorrow night. The Supreme Commander is coming in tomorrow as well." Sky said with intrigue.

"Dad's bringing in Andros, Carter, and Trey? Why?"

"I'm not sure, but whoever you are picking up isn't just your average person."

"Okay, let's put it all together. Dad sends me on this mission for a reason that is unclear to anyone but him, no one will tell any of us younger people who we are picking up, Grumm wanted to get his hands on these two pretty badly, Everyone there has been sitting on pins and needles over this mission, Cole despite his hatred of SPD agreed to come, and dad is calling in former rangers." Tammi recapped as she bit her bottom lip, "These people have to be rangers."

"Well, yeah but who? All veteran rangers are accounted for or deceased." Sky stated with a sigh.

Suddenly she remembered something. When she had first joined up with SPD she read and reread her mother's file in an attempt to find exactly WHO had killed her and Officer Tate, and she remembered that her's and Robert Tate's files stated that their bodies had never been found. Before now she had assumed that was because they had been completely destroyed in the blast, but what if . . .

They couldn't be the two people in witness protection, could they?

The cheetah and the hawk, that's what Ninjor had said.

And Maya said her mother had been a Ninjetti ranger . . .

Her father was anxiously awaiting the completion of this mission . . .

He was calling in former rangers . . .

and Vivian Tate.

Drake had been expecting her . . .

_Her mother was alive._

Maurhee Peterson DeSantos was alive.

"Oh my God . . ." She whispered as she brought a hand to her mouth.

"What?" Sky asked urgently.

She peered at him, "Who else is coming in that day?"

"Umm . . . no other shuttles, but I've got a security clearance list . . ."

"Read the names that stick out." She told him.

He combed the list, "Well, all of your 'extended' family will be here. Hmm . . . Tori Hansen, Dustin Brooks, and Shane Clarke . . ."

"Sky, that's the remainders of the original A-squad . . ."

"So? Tammi, what are you trying to say?"

She sighed, "My mother is alive, and so is your father . . ."

"Tammi, that's not funny." He stated with a set jaw.

"I'm not joking. They never found their bodies, Mirlok worked for Gruumm, and Gruumm hated both of them. It explains why dad wants Vivian AND the other rangers at the base when we arrive. . . it makes sense. Sky I am picking them up on Phaedos." She said with a huge smile and tear soaked eyes.

"Tammi . . . just try not to get your hopes up too high, It might not be them . . ." He said as if he were trying to convince himself and not Tammi.

She took a deep calming breath, Sky was right. It may not be them, and she could be reading WAY too much into all of this.

But she couldn't help but nurture a small hope.

Her chest pounded excitedly, her mother was alive. In a day and a half she would see her mother again for the first time in thirteen years . . .

It was almost too much. Almost.

* * *

Chapter 24! Enjoy!

angellwings


	25. Anticipation

The Return

Chapter 25: Anticipation

by angellwings

Tammi's leg nervously bounced up and down as she and Xander landed the Flyer on top of the Canyon where they confronted Drake.

"Calm down, T. We're here, we've followed Drake's orders, and you'll be on your way home soon." Xander said with a chuckle.

She grinned sheepishly at him. That wasn't what she was thinking . . . but he didn't know that, and she didn't plan on telling him.

Could her mother really be alive? Was it merely wishful thinking? Please don't let it be wishful thinking.

She took a deep breath and exhaled to calm her nerves as Cole and Maya exited behind Xander. She gulped and followed them out. _Here we go._

Immediately upon entering the Phaedoscian atmosphere Drake could be seen at the edge of the cliff where they landed.

He was wearing the same black cloak, only this time it hung open and the hood was down. She could now see his face fully. He had long ebony hair that was pulled back in a ponytail, and long scar over his left eye. He was broad shoulder and extremely muscular. So what was he doing hiding out on Phaedos? He looked perfectly handsome to her. In her peripheral vision she could see Maya's eyes widen slightly . . . and apparently she wasn't the only one.

"We're back, and we brought your replacements." Tammi said quickly with excitement glowing in her eyes.

"Yes, I see." He said with his gaze focused on Maya.

"And . . ." Xander said as he waited for Drake to speak.

"And?" He asked in return.

"The Witness Protection clients." Tammi said impatiently.

"Oh, right!" He said in remembrance, "Follow me."

They all began hiking to the temple plateau with Maya and Tammi walking toward the front beside Drake.

A million thoughts raced through Tammi's mind. What was going to happen if it was her mother? What was she going to do? What if it wasn't her mother? What would she do then?

Her fear gripped her and slowed her pace. She began to dread finding out who these people were. She drifted to the back of the group and fell into step beside of Xander.

She watched Cole, Maya, Drake, and Xander climb up and on to the plateau. She hesitated and then followed them slowly. She saw Xander standing just over the edge, frozen to his spot with a look of awe on his face. She followed his line of vision to a group of people. Cole, Maya, and Drake were crowding a petite red head. They were showering her with hugs and smiles. There was a sandy haired man standing a few feet from the group. She was immediately drawn to his eyes. They were the same color blue as Sky's.

That couldn't be Robert Tate could it? No, Robert Tate would be almost 45 by now, and he looked no older than his late twenties. She shook her head and refocused on the woman. Her own chocolate eyes met the woman's deep blue ones. She gasped and grabbed Xander's wrist.

"That's your mother . . ." Xander said softly in shock.

"It can't be. She couldn't be any older than her late twenties, and by now Mom would be in her early forties . . ." Tammi said in confusion, "There is no possible way."

The red head broke away from the group and quickly made her way toward Tammi and Xander.

"Tammi" The woman whispered tearfully as she passionately embraced her. The woman pulled back and appraised her appearance, "My God, you're so grown up, if it hadn't been for that hair and those eyes I wouldn't have recognized my little girl."

"M-mom?" Tammi asked shakily with unbelieving eyes.

Maurhee nodded, "Yes, honey, it's me, I'm back."

Tears streamed down both faces as Tammi's arms gripped on to her mother once more

* * *

"Commander DeSantos!" A young cadet called down the hallway as he quickly approached the Co-commander, "There's a transmission for you in the command center."

His eyes went wide as he sprinted toward the command center. He found both B-squads, Dr. Manx, and Commander Cruger waiting on his entrance.

"The feed just finished," Cruger told him with a blank expression.

"And? What's going on?" He asked urgently.

"They're coming home, ALL of them." Dr. Manx said in an attempt to express some secret meaning.

A large smile spread across the commander's face, "Call everyone, and makes sure they'll be here in time. We've got a homecoming to host."

* * *

_Chapter 25! Hope you guys like it!_

_Enjoy!_

_angellwings_


	26. Homeward Bound

The Return

Chapter 26: Homeward Bound

by angellwings

"I don't understand, you look exactly like I remember you, that shouldn't be . . ." Tammi said as she, her mother, Robert Tate, and Xander sat by the temple bonfire later that night.

"It's the Animal Spirits that we protect, they keep us young as long as we stay behind the plateau." Maurhee told her with a kind smile, "It most look a little freaky, huh?"

Xander stole a side glance at Robert Tate, He looked like he had in all the archive footage they showed at the academy.

"Only a little." He mumbled sarcastically.

"I can't believe you're still alive, I mean I can, but it's just been so long . . ." Tammi said keeping a steady gaze on her mother. She was afraid that if she looked away things would go back to the way they were just hours ago.

Maurhee smiled tearfully and squeezed her daughter's hand, "I know, you're so grown up. You're . . . twenty years old now?"

She nodded silently. It just hit her that there was one bit of news her mother hadn't heard . . . Brandon.

"Um, Mom?" She said with an unstoppable contented sigh. Despite the horrible news she was about to tell her mother the ability to use that word caused an unbridled joy with in her.

"Yes?" Her mother asked with a wide smile.

"There's something I have to tell you . . . It's about Brandon."

"Oh, Brandon! How is he? Did he end up being the ranger your father dreamed he would be?" Maurhee asked with a chuckle.

"No." Tammi snapped bitterly.

This caught Robert Tate's attention. Tammi noted that he hadn't said a word all evening. He was no doubt observing herself and Xander. Deciding what kind of people they were . . . just like Sky.

"What happened?" He asked her anxiously.

Tammi glanced to her mother and noticed she had paled considerably.

"He betrayed us." Xander said with restraint, "And attacked Tammi."

"What?" Maurhee asked with more fear than shock.

Tammi sighed and glared at Xander, "He sided with Gruumm. He was fed empty promises and Gruumm swayed him. He tried to convince me to join him . . . and the rest of A-squad, when I refused he shot me."

"You mean to say that all of A-squad sided with Gruumm?" Robert Tate asked in anger.

"All but one, and then Gruumm recruited from my squad." Tammi answered in a slight growl. She had been long over her sorrow over losing her brother . . . now she was angry.

"Who? Who switched sides?" Maurhee asked with concern behind her eyes. She knew her old friends would have been hurt by this.

Xander glanced cautiously at Tammi before stating the names for the two veterans, "Brandon DeSantos, Charlie Scott, Kai Park, and Sean Taylor."

Her mother shook her head sadly, "They were right."

"Who was?" Tammi asked her mother curiously.

"The Eltarian Council. When Brandon was little he had these horrible headaches, and when he had tantrums the entire house shook. None of the doctor's we took him to knew what to do, so we took him to Eltar in hopes that they could tell us what was happening. They wouldn't help us. They said there was a darkness inside Brandon that they did not want to come into contact with. One of the Elders told us that he would eventually betray us. We thought they were all insane, but neither one of us forgot what they told us. That's why your father was adamant about Brandon joining SPD. He thought it would stop whatever Darkness the Council thought Brandon possessed." Maurhee told her daughter with a sad gleam in her eyes.

"Dad never said anything . . ."

"We both tried to ignore it as best as possible." Maurhee said with an understanding nod, "But I can't believe little Kai was a part of that. Poor Trini."

"A part of me still feels like it's my fault. Every time I see Adam or Trini I can't help but avoid eye contact." Tammi said as she fixated her gaze on the flames in front of her. She reached a hand out and drew a little of the flame to her palm. She wiggled her fingers and watched it dance across her hand and fore arm.

"For the last time, Red, it was not your fault. Even the great Tommy Oliver couldn't have stopped her from turning." Xander said with a groan.

"I still think that as her leader I should have been able to influence her in some way. If I had done my job properly Adam and Trini wouldn't have lost their only child to the containment card system." Tammi said with a sigh as she flipped her hand over and ran the flame along her knuckles.

"I'm sure, like your father would, you did everything you could." Maurhee told her gently as a grin formed on her face, "Hey that rhymed."

"What about my son?" Robert asked curiously, "Where was he during all of this?"

Tammi brought the flame back to her palm and closed her hand around it to squelch it out, "Fighting the good fight with myself and B-squad, sir. He was the blue ranger. If he had had his way he would have been red, but , well, he needed a little attitude adjustment in Crugar's eyes."

"And now?"

"He's the red ranger, and highly respected amongst the base, I might add." She said with pride shooting from every available space. "He developed quite nicely, if I do say so myself."

Her mother's eyebrows shot in to the air. She knew that tone and, apparently, so did Robert.

He grinned at Tammi, "So, I believe when we arrive home, I will owe you and Rocky . . . fifty dollars, I believe."

Maurhee chuckled and nodded, "I'd say so."

Xander and Tammi glanced at the two adults in confusion.

"We made a bet when you and Sky were younger that the two of you would end up together. I said you wouldn't, and your parents said you would." Robert told her with his first kind smile of the night.

"That's strange because dad didn't seem too keen on the idea until about a couple of weeks ago." Tammi said with an amused grin.

"Yes, well, Rocky's never been the type to really go with the flow." Maurhee said with a laugh.

* * *

The next morning on their way out of the Phaedoscian atmosphere Tammi and Xander watched Maurhee and Robert with interest as they quickly began to show signs of age. Their hair grew gray highlights, and their faces began to show a few wrinkles. Both seemed rather amused by the changes in their appearance. They spent the flight teasing each other about certain changes. Maurhee teased Robert (or "Rob" as she called him) about his now severely thinning and receding hairline while he teased her about her growing amount of gray and her newly developed crow's feet.

All in All it was a very bizarre experience for the young SPD officers.

The two recently aged rangers spent the trip getting to know the two officers. Tammi and Maurhee both realized that despite the gap they had spent with out each other Tammi had somehow inherited a great deal of her mother's quirks and traits. And once Robert figured out that Xander was the son of Zhane and Karone he asked non-stop questions about his parents and his aunt and uncle because apparently Mr. Tate had been very close to them.

By the time they were approaching Earth's atmosphere three days later the two adults were caught up on sixteen years of events and pop-culture. But Tammi could see that behind her mother's eyes was the scarring sadness of losing her only son and first born child. She hoped her dad could soothe her better than Tammi had been able to.

* * *

_That's chapter 26! Sorry it took so long, We're nearing final exams and things have been hectic and will be for another two and half weeks._

_Enjoy!_

_angellwings_


	27. The Thin Line

The Return

Chapter 27: The Thin Line

By: angellwings

All cadets and officers were lined up in front of the shuttle docking bay to await the arrival of Officers DeSantos and Plata plus their two mystery guests. The base had been buzzing all day with possible names of the people Tammi and Xander could be bringing back, but Sky could only think of Tammi's theory. Apparently she and Xander had reported in some time mid-morning while his squad was on patrol when they returned Robby's squad had filled them in.

Could his father really be coming back on that flyer? He didn't want to think about the possibilities. He glanced over at where his mother stood beside of Commanders DeSantos and Cruger.

Despite the seeming unity of the two commanders and the B-squads there was still a certain segregation between them. Commander DeSantos dealt with Robby and the others the majority of the time while Cruger still briefed them on their assignments and, on occasion, gave them disciplinary action. The two squads split shifts, and hung out during their free moments, but that was the extent of their merger. He nodded to Robby who stood to his right for acknowledgment, and Robby nodded in return. He wonder where Tammi would fit in when she returned. He knew Robby, Lilly, Griffin, Roxie, and Alex saw her as their leader and adopted older sibling, but his squad saw her as a key team member as well. He knew she was Commander DeSantos' pride and joy, but she was one of Cruger's most talented officers as well. What shift would she be assigned? What squad would she work with?

His mother caught his attention and winked at him. He chuckled and shook his head at her, and then promptly resumed his stance. What was she doing here anyway? Why did Cruger and DeSantos want her and his sister here today of all days? Bridge elbowed him lightly as Tammi's flyer came into view. A small grin appeared on Sky's face. No matter who else came out of that shuttle Tammi would be here, and that was enough for the moment.

The shuttle took as long to dock as it did for Bridge to stop rambling. He found himself becoming impatient. He held his hands behind his back twiddle his thumbs as he did so. Commander DeSantos was nervously cracking his knuckles as well.

The shuttle doors crawled upon and four silhouettes could be seen in the door way. Sky's breath hitched in his throat as they began to walk forward. He smiled as his eyes fell on Tammi. He glanced over at the Commander and his mother. He saw her mouth hanging open and tears drifting down her face. He followed her gaze to the broad shouldered, frosted haired man on Xander's left. He squinted at the man's face, he looked familiar . . . and as his mother ran at the man he knew immediately who it was.

His father.

His father smiled an impossibly bright smile and spun his mother around enthusiastically. Sky swallowed and shifted his gaze to the woman on Tammi's right who was now in major lip-lock with Commander DeSantos.

Tammi had been right.

He heard the cadets on either side and behind him gasp , giggle, and in Syd's case sigh at the sight in front of them. Tammi locked eyes with him from across the docking bay and motioned him over. He swallowed and blinked back a few tears as he saw his father wrap his sister in a tight hug. He cleared his throat, straightened up, and marched toward Tammi, the Commanders and his family. The veteran rangers, and other cadets disappeared; all he saw was Tammi's family and his. Tammi smiled encouragingly at him as he approached his mother. His mother beamed up at him.

"Rob," She said in a misty tone, "This is Sky."

His father smiled proudly at him, and took in an accepting breath, "Sky."

Sky nodded and outstretched his hand for a shake. He held his face tight.

Tammi grinned and walked up beside of him.

"This is your father, Sky, not your commanding officer." She whispered softly into his ear.

He swallowed, and nodded silently. He took in a shaky breath, "Dad."

Robert Tate smiled and grabbed his son by the shoulders to pull him in for a hug, and completely ignored his stretched out hand. Sky slowly reciprocated, both father and son teared up.

Of course when asked it was allergies or dust that affected them that way.

Tammi glanced over at her father. He smiled tearfully at her, and then promptly rushed her with a fatherly bear hug. She laughed and hugged him in return.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, "About the way I blew up at you before . . . I should have considered your feelings. I mean you'd lost Brandon, and the minute you get me back I'm so wrapped up in Sky . . ."

"No, I should have been honest with you. You're an adult now. All I can do is hope you'll be happy. Besides Sky's a good guy." Realization dawned in her father's eyes and he turned to Mr. Tate, "Oh yeah, Hey Tate! You owe me fifty dollars, man, pay up."

She laughed and watched her father embrace his old friend in traditional masculine fashion. A quick hug with a slap on the back.

"You've done a good job with him Tammi." Her mother told her with a smile.

"Me? With who?"

"Your father of course. You raised him well."

"I'm confused I thought he raised me?"

"Please, your father's always been a tad bit immature, and now he's a little less immature. Thanks to you." Her mother said kindly with a quick hug, "No matter where I was or what I was doing . . . I always thought about you. I missed you, kid."

"I missed you too, you have no idea." Tammi said as she pecked Maurhee on the cheek.

"I think I do. Now, go talk to your boyfriend . . . I know you're dying to." Maurhee said with a laugh.

"Are you sure?" Tammi asked skeptically.

"Yeah, besides I have some old friends to catch up with." She said as she motioned to the veteran rangers.

Tammi nodded, and made her way to the emotional circle the Tates were now gathered in. She placed a hand on Sky's shoulder and squeezed her way beside of him. He smiled brightly and genuinely at her, and wrapped a hand around her waist.

"You should smile more often. It's very becoming." She whispered to him with a wink.

He glanced up at his father, and then back at Tammi, "You know I think I will."

"You've got yourself a great girl there Sky . . . keep a hold of that one." His father told him with a wink in Tammi's direction.

"I'm planning on it . . . Dad."

Tammi felt a blush creep over her cheeks, and soft smile spread across her face. Vivian reached across the circle and embraced Tammi, "Thank you so much, sweetie, you have no idea how much this means to me."

She chuckled and pulled away from her slightly, "No offense, Mrs. Tate, but I believe I do."

She laughed, "Of course you do, I almost forgot."

Vivian Tate slid back to stand beside her husband, and linked her arm through his. Tammi noticed that at some point during the last few minutes her wedding ring had gone from the chain around her neck to her finger. She sighed happily and laced her fingers through Sky's.

Sky sister leaned toward her and whispered in her ear, "Welcome to the family, Tammi."

This was perfection. This was how things should always be.

The base's alarms sounded, and Tammi and Sky groaned.

But, of course, time teetered that thin line between peace and war. More often than not peace took the back burner to war, and that's why SPD existed. To protect and guard that line with everything they had. If they could prolong peace they might just be able to avoid the war.

At least that was the hope.

THE END

* * *

_I fully plan to write an epilogue! So there is one last chapter. Read and Review!_

_Enjoy!_

_angellwings_


	28. Epilogue: Christmas Eve

The Return

Epilogue: Christmas Eve

by angellwings

Christmas Eve, 2026

"Cold?" Sky asked Tammi sarcastically as she shivered and shook inside her thick coat.

She glared at Sky, "A ski trip isn't exactly the best idea for someone who survives off of warmth, flame, and heat of any kind."

"I told you that you should have gotten a thicker coat." He said as he shook his head.

"I was not going to pay two hundred dollars for a new coat when I have a perfectly good one already. Besides this coat kept me perfectly warm in New Tech." She said stubbornly through her chattering teeth.

"New Tech is in California." He said with a laugh as the headed toward their families cabin, "It's hardly ever cold."

She held her skis with her right hand and looped her left arm through Sky's, "Yeah, and thank goodness because I am not fond of the cold."

He shook his head, and chuckled, "You just don't know how to layer and bundle up, that's all."

"C'mon lets go inside, I'm FREEZING." She pleaded.

"It's not even that cold." He said with half of a grin.

She growled and pulled him inside, "I need to re-energize in front of a fire or else you'll have one sick, unconscious girlfriend."

"Is it really that serious?" He asked her with concern as he propped his skis and her skis against the outside of the cabin.

"Unfortunately, thanks to my powers; I live off of heat. I can't be in the water, the cold, or the rain for too long. You know how normal people suffer from things like sun burn, heat stroke, and dehydration?" She asked with a sigh.

"Yeah." He said with a nod as he peeled off his ski jacket, and boots.

"Well, I don't. Although I do suffer from over-hydration, what my dad calls cold faints, and raw skin from too much exposure to salt water." She said as she kicked off her ski boots and bundled deeper into her coat. She quickly walked to the fireplace and sat in front of it with her back facing the flames. She scrunched her shoulders, closed her eyes, and sighed happily as the heat began to run through her body.

Suddenly loud laughter rang out from the doorway as The DeSantoses and the Tates came barging through it.

"Hello, kids." Maurhee said as she walked over and kissed the top of her daughter's head, "Tammi, you're frozen. You're practically turning blue. You know you have to come inside after-"

"I know, mom, I got it under control. I'll be fine. I just need to sit in front of the fire for a while." She said with a laugh.

"Are you sure, sweetie?" Mrs. Tate asked with a look of concern, "Sky you should have made her come in earlier than this."

He looked up at his mother in shock, "What?"

Tammi laughed at his expression, "It was my fault, Mrs. Tate, I wanted to stay out there."

"I still think he should be keeping a closer eye on you, dear." She said sternly.

"Viv, relax, they're adults now. I think they can take care of themselves." Robert Tate said with an amused grin.

"C'mon ladies, lets leave these two lovebirds alone and play some cards, shall we?" Rocky asked with a wink in Tammi and Sky's direction.

Tammi's eyes went wide and her cheeks flushed in embarrassment, "Daaaaaaad"

"Quit whining, I was trying to do you a favor." Her father said with a chuckle as he led the mothers to the dining room.

"Why did we agree to this family vacation thing again?" Tammi asked Sky sarcastically.

"To spend time together as a family." Sky's sister, Courtney, said as she and her husband entered the room from the hallway.

"It was you wasn't it? It's your fault that we're here." Sky said with a mock glare in his sister's direction.

She rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at him. Stephen shrugged and sat down beside of Tammi. Due to their status as Tate family member significant others they shared a unique friendship that was full of understanding glances. As Sky and Courtney bickered back and forth Stephen and Tammi sat quietly and exchanged amused glances with an occasional roll of the eyes at the child like antics of the Tate siblings. Over the last year, Stephen had almost become the brother Brandon never had been. Her parents certainly loved him. He wasn't even their son-in-law but they treated him like one of their own.

"Why do you think we never act like that?" Stephen asked her with a grin.

"Because we happen to be mature." She told him with a wink.

Courtney and Sky suddenly stopped bickering.

"You?" Sky asked Tammi with a shocked voice.

"Mature?" Courtney asked with an unbelieving expression.

"Yeah right." The siblings said simultaneously.

"Oh, look, we got them to stop arguing." Stephen said with a smug expression.

"Amazing isn't?" Tammi asked with a laugh.

"You kids be ready to exchange gifts tomorrow morning." Robert announced as he and Vivian came to sit down on the couch.

"That's right, and start packing your things because we're living in two days." Maurhee said as she and Rocky joined them.

"Father we are not 'kids' any more. We are all 21 or over which makes us of legal age, and I, personally, am a married woman." Courtney said seriously with her nose pointed up in the air.

"Yes, Courtney, you are VERY grown up." Robert said patronizingly with wide eyes and a slow nod.

Tammi chuckled quietly at the look on their parents' faces, Stephen's cheeks reddened and he rested his head in his hands, while Sky rolled his eyes and prodded his sister's side with his elbow.

Tammi moved away from the fire and settled in closer to Sky. She slipped her left arm through his right, and rested her head on his shoulder.

"By the way, the Parks are staying in a cabin across the way, and their coming over for dinner tonight." Rocky announced with a wide smile, "Z called earlier and asked if it was okay to bring a friend."

Tammi's head popped up, "Is she bringing Robby?"

"No, the Scotts are actually sharing a cabin with them. They'll be coming by too." Maurhee said with a smile.

Sky's brow furrowed, "Then who's she bringing?"

Tammi shrugged, "I guess we'll find out at dinner."

"You know, I think what you two did for Sam and Z was so sweet." Vivian said.

"Well, it wasn't all us, mom. The Parks offered to let Sam and Z spend christmas with them and we just sort of passed along the message." Sky informed them modestly.

"You know Trini told me that she and Adam we're thinking about adopting Sam. And that they would have adopted Z if she were still a minor." Maurhee said to Vivian as she leaned across Rocky's lap.

Tammi smiled and sighed happily. Her guilt from losing track of her B-squad was slowing fading, and with Trini and Adam reaching out to Sam and Z she was beginning to feel some resolution about what happened with Kai as well. The past year had a been a big one for her. She'd been through so much. She'd gained her life back, lost a brother, found her mother, recovered her team, and gotten a boyfriend. She doubted anything else could have happened to make the past year any more exciting.

"When's dinner?" Sky asked the adults thoughtfully. Tammi gave him a questioning look. Why did he sound like he was scheming or something?

"A couple of hours." Vivian said as she stood up from the couch, "and speaking of which, ladies I believe we should start cooking."

"Hey wait a minute, why do we have to cook? Why don't we make the men cook? They can do it." Tammi said as she crossed her arms over her chest in protest.

"The only thing your father can cook is that stupid five alarm chili of his. Now if you would like to eat that every day of this vacation then I'll be more than happy to make the men take over." Her mother said as she placed her hands on her hips.

"No thank you." Courtney said with a grin and she stood up and headed to the kitchen.

Sky nervously cleared his throat, "Commander DeSantos-"

"When we're not on the base, Sky, I would rather you call me Rocky."

Sky shifted awkwardly, "I don't think I can do that, sir."

Tammi elbowed him gently in the stomach and chuckled at him. Sky's stand-offish nature could be so adorable some times. She smiled encouragingly at Sky and stood up from the floor.

"You boys have fun." Tammi said as she kissed her father on the cheek and headed to the kitchen.

"How about we compromise, Tate? You can call me Mr. DeSantos." Rocky told his daughter's boyfriend with a grin.

Sky took a deep breath, "Mr. DeSantos . . . can I talk to you . . ." he cleared his throat, "privately."

Rocky looked over at Robert and Stephen curiously. Robert raised one eyebrow and shrugged his shoulders while Stephen gave Sky a questioning look.

"Sure, Sky, let's go sit on the porch." Rocky answered with merged eyebrows as the two men stood.

* * *

"So, things seem to be going well with you and Sky." Maurhee stated with a smile as she placed a handful of frozen tail-off shrimp in a bowl of warm water to thaw. 

Tammi smiled as she peeled a cucumber, "That's because things are going very well. Just think in one month it will be mine and Sky's one year anniversary. I almost can't believe it's been eleven months since our first date."

"I can. You two almost drove me crazy with all of that quarreling the two of you did last Christmas." Vivian said with a mischievous smile.

"It was ONE fight, and how was I to know that he was hopelessly in love with me? He lead me to believe that we were just buddies, and then all of a sudden he starts acting like a jealous jerk. So, of course I was going to get upset with him." Tammi reasoned as she began to chop the cucumber.

"You two were so cute last year. It was obvious to every one that you were in love with each other." Courtney said as she pulled the lettuce off the head and placed in a big salad bowl.

"Yeah, to every one but us, that is. If we would have just quit being stupid and talked to each other we could have gotten together much sooner, but no we both have to be naturally born leader types that keep our emotions to ourselves." Tammi turned to her mother and pointed with knife, "Which, by the way, I blame you for."

Maurhee nodded, "I have to admit that does sound like me. It took your father and I MONTHS to get back together for that exact same reason."

"Honey, the Parks and the Scotts are here!" they heard Rocky call from the doorway.

"You couldn't have walked into the kitchen and told us that?" Maurhee called to her husband in response.

"He's a male, it would have taken too long." Kimberly said from the doorway with Trini and Z.

Maurhee laughed, and vacated her shrimp preparations to hug her two friends, "I suppose it would have."

Tammi grinned and hugged Z as the yellow ranger approached.

"So what's going on?" Z asked Tammi in a whisper.

"What do you mean?" Tammi asked with a clueless look on her face.

"Well, the Commander and Sky were having a pretty serious conversation when we walked up? Have their been some 'developments' you need to tell me about?" She whispered with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

"What kind of 'developments' are you talking about?" Tammi asked in confusion.

Z sighed and shook her head, "Nevermind."

"Okay . . ." Tammi said with a chuckle as she motioned to the pile of vegetables on the counter, "Grab a knife and get to chopping, girlie."

"Ma'am, Yes Ma'am." Z said with a wink.

"Oh, so who's this big mystery guest you're supposed to be bringing?" Tammi asked her curiously.

"Me." A voice said in to her ear.

Tammi screeched and turned to face the voice, "Jack!"

"Whoa! Drop the knife, I come in peace." He said with a chuckle as he held his hands up protectively.

"Oh!" She yelled with a laugh as she put the knife that had been pointed at his chest down on the counter, "Right, sorry."

She smiled and hugged him, "It's so good to see you! So, what has the former red ranger been up to lately?"

"Well, I got engaged." He said with a smile.

"To Ally?" She asked him excitedly.

He nodded.

"That is so great! So what are you doing here? Why aren't you with her?" Tammi asked.

"She's working over christmas, and it's been a while since I've gotten to really spend time with Z or any of you guys really." He said with a bright smile.

"Well, I'm glad you're here, and I know Sky will be thrilled to see you." She said.

"Are you sure about that?" Jack asked with a chuckle.

"Now Jack, you know that just because he doesn't outwardly show it doesn't mean that he doesn't feel it." Tammi said with a grin.

Jack chuckled and nodded, "True."

"Why don't you go talk to him. I think he's in the living room with all the other men." Tammi said with a grin as she shoved him lightly to the door, "That way I can get back to this salad."

* * *

Jack walked into the room full of men, most of whom he didn't know. 

Sky looked up from the rocking chair he was currently occupying, "Hey Jack, let me introduce you to everyone."

"Thanks, man." Jack said with as he released a nervous breath.

"Jack this is my dad, Robert Tate; Dad this is the Red Ranger that came before me, Jack Landors." Sky said as he motioned between the two of them.

"It's great to finally meet you, sir."

"You too, son." Robert Tate said as they shook hands.

"And this is Tammi's dad Commander Rocky DeSantos."

Jack reached forward and shook his hand, "It's an honor, sir."

Rocky smiled and nodded.

"This is my brother-in-law Stephen Morrison."

"Oh yeah, you're the guy Tammi and Sky got into an argument about last Christmas." Stephen said in recognition.

"I am?" He asked Sky in shock, "Wait . . . it wasn't about that hug you pulled up on, was it?"

Sky looked down at his feet with shame.

"Man, I would have hated to see how you reacted when you found out about that kiss if the two of you got into an argument over a HUG." Jack said with a chuckle.

Sky ignored him and continued looking around the room, "And you already know Jason, Adam, Robby and Sam."

"Let's hope so since I've been sharing a cabin with them for two days."

"So Jack, how is civilian life treating you?" Rocky asked.

"Pretty well, I just got engaged two weeks ago." He told them with a grin. Sky turned to him with a shocked face.

Jack grinned at him, "Just think, you and Robby are technically the only bachelors in the room right now."

Sky gulped and tugged at the neck of his sweater, "Yeah . . ."

Jack observed him oddly for a moment and then suddenly sat up straight and stared at him in shock, "You're going to propose to Tammi!"

Sky eyes went wide and he shushed him urgently, "Not so loud."

Robert and Stephen stared at him in shock.

"So you are going to propose?" Stephen asked to clarify.

"I was planning on it; yes." Sky whispered so Tammi wouldn't hear.

"When?" Robert Tate asked with a grin.

"I was planning on asking her tomorrow morning while we're exchanging gifts. You know with both of our families here, just a simple proposal."

Robby nodded, "Sounds very Tammi to me. I remember she used to hate it when Xander would get all extravagant with her. One year he took her out to this very expensive restaurant for her birthday, and she flipped out."

"Okay, no more talking about the ex-boyfriends or ex-almost boyfriends, please." Sky stated with frustration and a shake of his head as he turned toward Jack, "How did you know I was going to propose?"

"Well, normally you're just uptight, but that look you had on your face was far from uptight. That, my friend, was nervous, and theres only one person on this world that can make YOU nervous." Jack said with a chuckle.

"I don't understand why you're nervous. She's going to say yes." Adam told him with a grin.

"How can you be sure?" Sky said with a sigh.

"Look, I've known Tammi all her life, Adam and I helped train her before she joined SPD, and I've never seen her as happy as she is when you're around, kid." Jason told him with a nod.

"Like I told you outside, Sky, the reason I was so hostile with you when I first met you is because I knew you were going to take my little girl from me. I saw it the minute she came to. You and Tammi are supposed to be together and you will be." Rocky said with a smile and a nod.

"Yeah, man, I mean think about it. She gave up all of THIS," Jack said as he motioned to himself, "for you. So that has to be love because I, Tate, am irresistible."

Sky groaned and rolled his eyes at his former leader, "Somehow, Landors, I doubt that."

"Dinner's ready." Tammi said brightly as she stepped into the living room. As if on cue everyone turned to stare at her, "What?"

"Nothing, Flamebird." Rocky said with a grin as he stood up from his seat first, "We just didn't think it would be ready this soon that's all."

"Okay," Tammi said warily, "Any way, the table is set and the food is ready."

Sky smiled softly at her and stood up. He placed his arm around her shoulders, and she placed her arm around his lower back as they walked into the dining room together.

Z came to stand at Jack's side as they watched the two of them enter the dining room, "How did I ever think that I could date her?"

Z smiled and grinned, "Well, Tammi is a pretty amazing person."

"Yeah, but she and Sky are too perfect not to be together. I don't know what I was thinking. I mean I saw it just like every one else did, and I still thought I could stand in their way." Jack said as he shook his head.

"So I'm sensing that you're glad things didn't work out with Tammi?" She asked him with a small smile.

"Extremely." Jack said with a smile and a nod, "Now let's eat. I'm starved."

* * *

_TAH DAH!! _

_That completes the story of Maurhee Peterson-DeSantos and Tammi DeSantos! Finally! I started memories in 2004 and finished it this year, and I started the Return in 05 and have just now finished it!_

_I will miss writing about these two chracters, but I will be happy to put one more accomplishment under my belt!_

_I hope you all have enjoyed this as much as I have._

_MERRY CHRISTMAS!!_

_angellwings_


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